Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 17, 2026
Murine Oropharyngeal Aspiration Model of Ventilator-associated and Hospital-acquired Bacterial Pneumonia
Published on: June 28, 2018
Characterizing Pediatric Aspiration Pneumonia: Diagnostic Gaps and Stewardship Opportunities
Kathleen D Snow1, Mollie G Wasserman1, Kathleen E Walsh1
1Division of General Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.
Background And Objectives:
Aspiration pneumonia is a common cause for hospitalization, especially in children with medical complexity, yet there are no standard definition or clinical practice guidelines for the condition. Our objectives were to assess the validity of the aspiration pneumonia billing code and to describe the demographics, presenting symptoms, diagnostic results, and outcomes of children hospitalized with this condition.
Methods:
We performed a retrospective cross-sectional analysis of 200 patients hospitalized with an International Classification of Diseases, tenth revision (ICD-10) diagnosis of aspiration pneumonia from 2016 to 2021. We conducted a standardized medical record review to identify children with a clinician diagnosis of aspiration pneumonia and collected data on patient and hospitalization characteristics across 4 subgroups defined by a combination of clinical and radiographic features.
Results:
Among 200 patients identified by ICD-10 code, 138 (69%) also had a clinician diagnosis of aspiration pneumonia. For these 138 patients, the mean age was 8.4 years (SD, 7), and most had an underlying medical complexity. Diagnostic testing, antibiotic selection, and hospitalization outcomes were similar across definition subgroups. Only 18 patients (13%) had aspiration risk factors, fever, and a probable focal opacity on chest imaging at diagnosis.
Conclusions:
We observed significant variability in presenting symptoms and diagnostic testing results among patients assigned a clinician diagnosis of aspiration pneumonia. Our study underscores the need for a standardized clinical definition, improved diagnostic criteria, and evidence-based treatment guidelines to optimize clinical care for this patient population.
More Related Videos
11:32Following in Real Time the Impact of Pneumococcal Virulence Factors in an Acute Mouse Pneumonia Model Using Bioluminescent Bacteria
Published on: February 23, 2014
03:22Author Spotlight: Advancing Pathogen Detection and Disease Assessment in Real-Time Using M-ROSE
Published on: March 1, 2024
Related Concept Videos
01:30Pneumonia III: Complications and Assessment
01:30Pneumonia V: Nursing management and Prevention
The nurse must practice strict medical asepsis and adhere to infection control guidelines to minimize healthcare-associated infections.
Enhance airway patency
Position the patient correctly to facilitate drainage of the affected lung segments. Manual or mechanical percussion and vibration can also be employed....
01:30Pneumonia I: Introduction
Risk Factors
Various factors influence the likelihood of developing pneumonia. Age plays a crucial role, with infants, children under two, and individuals over 65 at increased risk due to their...
01:28Pneumonia IV: Management
Bacterial Pneumonia Treatment
For bacterial pneumonia, antibiotics serve as the cornerstone of therapy. Initial treatment often begins with empirical antibiotics, tailored to the anticipated causative organism and adjusted based on culture results. Key antibiotic choices include:
01:20Sputum Studies II: Culture and Sensitivity
Sputum culture and sensitivity is a medical procedure used to diagnose bacterial infections in the respiratory tract and select the most appropriate antibiotics for treatment. This process involves analyzing sputum samples of thick and opaque secretions produced in the lungs and airways. These samples are collected from patients and then sent to the laboratory for analysis.
The test can identify various pathogens responsible for respiratory infections, including Streptococcus,...
01:23Assessment of Respiration
Subjective Assessment: Nurses interview the patient to gather information directly during the subjective assessment. It includes questions about the individual's medical history, medications, and symptoms, focusing on past respiratory conditions like...