Impact of antibiotic treatment duration on community-acquired pneumonia in children: a systematic review

Josselyn N. V. Enríquez; Mateo D. F. Vera; Jessica P. F. Martinez; Diego A. C. López; Cinthya C. U. Abad; Mayra A. C. Merino

doi:10.18203/2349-3291.ijcp20240692

Authors

Josselyn N. V. Enríquez Medicine Department, Universidad de las Américas, Ecuador https://orcid.org/0009-0009-7726-8025
Mateo D. F. Vera Medicine Department, Universidad de las Américas, Ecuador https://orcid.org/0009-0003-4052-6162
Jessica P. F. Martinez Medicine Department, Universidad Técnica de Ambato, Ecuador https://orcid.org/0009-0008-8435-9366
Diego A. C. López Medicine Department, Universidad Iberoamericana, Quito, Ecuador https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2945-7891
Cinthya C. U. Abad Medicine Department, Ministry of Public Health, Ecuador https://orcid.org/0009-0000-5679-9294
Mayra A. C. Merino Instituto Superior Tecnológico Riobamba, Ecuador https://orcid.org/0009-0000-1519-1688

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18203/2349-3291.ijcp20240692

Keywords:

Antibiotic, Duration, Community-acquired pneumonia, Children

Abstract

The treatment of pediatric community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) with antibiotics is important due to its substantial global health impact. To support clinical practice and antibiotic stewardship, this narrative review investigates the effects of the length of antibiotic therapy on the outcomes of childhood CAP. A thorough search of PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar produced English articles published in the last ten years (2019–2024) and looked at the connection between the length of antibiotic therapy and the outcomes of community-associated pneumonia in children. There is increasing evidence to support the similarity of shorter and longer antibiotic regimens for treating juvenile community-acquired pneumonia. Research continuously shows that shorter periods of antibiotic therapy—usually five days—produce similar clinical results as lengthier regimens that last seven to 10 days. Furthermore, emphasis is placed on tailored treatment plans that take into account the child's age, the severity of the symptoms, and regional trends of antibiotic resistance. The included studies, albeit observational and retrospective, provide important insights into the safety, effectiveness, and consequences of various antibiotic regimens in the therapy of pediatric CAP. This review emphasizes the significance of evidence-based strategies to maximize antibiotic treatment for pediatric CAP, while also noting research limitations. More research is required to enhance treatment methods and results for kids with CAP. This includes carefully planned randomized controlled trials and integrated diagnostic tools.

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