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Efficacy and safety of short- versus standard-course ceftriaxone therapy in children with pneumonia: A randomized

Mei Lv1, Yang Yang1, Liyun Fang1

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, Xi'an No.3 Hospital, The Affiliated Hospital of Northwest University, Xian, Shaanxi, 710018, China.

Pakistan Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences
|July 12, 2026
PubMed

Insights

Short-course ceftriaxone sodium (5-7 days) and standard-course (7-14 days) show similar efficacy for pediatric bacterial pneumonia. Short-course reduces hospital stay and adverse events, while standard-course lowers recurrence.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Infectious Diseases
  • Pharmacology
  • Clinical Trials

Background:

  • Pediatric bacterial pneumonia affects 30-40% of cases.
  • Ceftriaxone sodium is a common treatment, but optimal duration is debated.

Purpose of the Study:

  • Compare efficacy, inflammatory markers, and safety of short-course vs. standard-course ceftriaxone sodium.
  • Evaluate therapeutic outcomes in pediatric pneumonia patients.

Main Methods:

  • Prospective, single-center, randomized controlled trial.
  • 200 children (1-14 years) randomized to 5-7 days (short-course) or 7-14 days (standard-course) of ceftriaxone sodium.
  • Primary outcome: overall response rate; secondary outcomes: symptom relief, hospital stay, recurrence, adverse events, inflammatory markers.

Main Results:

  • Overall efficacy and symptom relief were comparable between groups.
  • Short-course significantly reduced hospital stay and adverse events (P<0.05).
  • Standard-course showed lower recurrence rates and superior inflammatory marker normalization by day 5 (P<0.05).

Conclusions:

  • Both short- and standard-course ceftriaxone sodium demonstrate similar overall efficacy.
  • Short-course is suitable for mild pneumonia with rapid inflammatory response.
  • Standard-course is preferred for severe cases or delayed inflammation to prevent relapse.
Abstract

Keywords:
Antibiotic course durationCeftriaxone sodiumHs-CRPPediatric pneumoniaTreatment efficacy

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