SHM Converge Scientific Abstract ePoster Gallery-Pediatric Community Acquired Pneumonia Time to Antibiotics and Complications

Pdf Summary

This multicenter retrospective cohort study examined whether giving antibiotics within 4 hours of presentation for pediatric community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) reduces complications. Using Pediatric Health Information System data from 2013–2020, the researchers studied children ages 3 months to 18 years admitted with suspected CAP and a chest X-ray. Patients were grouped by antibiotic timing: within 4 hours versus after 4 hours.<br /><br />The main outcome was escalation of care, with secondary outcomes including length of stay, duration of oxygen use, hospitalization cost, 7-day pneumonia-related emergency department visits, and 7-day readmissions. The analysis used inverse propensity-weighted regression to adjust for differences between groups.<br /><br />A total of 1,510 patients were included, with 763 receiving antibiotics within 4 hours and 747 after 4 hours. Results showed no meaningful difference in the primary outcome or any secondary outcomes between the two groups. Escalation of care occurred in 3% of patients treated within 4 hours and 2% of those treated later, with a weighted odds ratio of 1.46 (95% CI 0.57–3.73). Similar null findings were seen for oxygen duration, length of stay, cost, readmission, and ED revisit rates.<br /><br />The study concluded that antibiotic timing did not affect complication rates in hospitalized children with suspected CAP. The authors suggest there may be room for antibiotic stewardship and more time to confirm bacterial infection before starting antibiotics. Future research should focus on identifying which pediatric patients truly need early antibiotic treatment.

Asset Subtitle

Lauren McIntosh

Meta Tag

Author List Angela F. Dunn, Jillian M. Cotter, Lauren McIntosh

Category Research

Concept Time to Antibiotics

Concept Pediatric Community-Acquired Pneumonia

Concept Escalation of Care

Concept Exposure

Concept Outcomes

Distinguished Non-Finalist

Presenter Organization Children's Hospital Colorado

Presenting Author Lauren McIntosh

Track Outcomes Research

Keywords

pediatric community-acquired pneumonia

antibiotic timing

multicenter retrospective cohort

escalation of care

hospitalized children

inverse propensity weighting

length of stay

oxygen duration

antibiotic stewardship

readmission

Time to Antibiotics

Pediatric Community-Acquired Pneumonia

Escalation of Care

Exposure

Outcomes