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Zovi A, Ferrara F, Pasquinucci R, Nava L, Vitiello A, Arrigoni R, Ballini A, Cantore S, Palmirotta R, Di Domenico M, Santacroce L, Boccellino M. Effects of Vitamin D on the Renin–Angiotensin System and Acute Childhood Pneumonia. Antibiotics (Basel) 2022; 11:antibiotics11111545. [PMID: 36358201 PMCID: PMC9686887 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics11111545] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2022] [Revised: 10/26/2022] [Accepted: 11/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Vitamin D promotes kidney calcium reabsorption and regulates calcium and phosphate metabolism, as well as the intestinal absorption of calcium and phosphorus and bone mineralization events. Vitamin D is also known for its immunomodulatory properties. It has been shown in the literature that the active form of vitamin D, 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D, performs multiple functions in the adaptive and innate immune system, as well as acting on the endothelial membrane. Recent evidence shows that vitamin D is a negative endocrine modulator of the renin–angiotensin system (RAS), with protection from diseases leading to lung damage, such as pneumonia caused by various pathogens. Vitamin D support associated with the use of antibiotics could be crucial to counteract these infectious diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Zovi
- Ministry of Health, Viale Giorgio Ribotta 5, 00144 Rome, Italy
| | - Francesco Ferrara
- Pharmaceutical Department, Asl Napoli 3 Sud, Dell’amicizia Street 22, Nola, 80035 Naples, Italy
- Correspondence:
| | - Roberta Pasquinucci
- Pharmaceutical Department, Asl Napoli 3 Sud, Dell’amicizia Street 22, Nola, 80035 Naples, Italy
| | - Livia Nava
- Pharmaceutical Department, Asl Napoli 2 Nord, Frattamaggiore, 80027 Naples, Italy
| | | | - Roberto Arrigoni
- CNR Institute of Biomembranes, Bioenergetics and Molecular Biotechnologies (IBIOM), 70124 Bari, Italy
| | - Andrea Ballini
- Department of Precision Medicine, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, 80100 Naples, Italy
| | - Stefania Cantore
- Independent Researcher, Regional Dental Community Service “Sorriso&Benessere-Ricerca e Clinica”, 70129 Bari, Italy
| | - Raffele Palmirotta
- Interdisciplinary Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Bari “Aldo Moro”, 70129 Bari, Italy
| | - Marina Di Domenico
- Department of Precision Medicine, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, 80100 Naples, Italy
| | - Luigi Santacroce
- Interdisciplinary Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Bari “Aldo Moro”, 70129 Bari, Italy
| | - Mariarosaria Boccellino
- Department of Precision Medicine, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, 80100 Naples, Italy
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Lower Respiratory Tract Infections in Pediatric Patients with Severe Neurological Impairments: Clinical Observations and Perspectives in a Palliative Care Unit. CHILDREN 2022; 9:children9060852. [PMID: 35740789 PMCID: PMC9221664 DOI: 10.3390/children9060852] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2022] [Revised: 06/02/2022] [Accepted: 06/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Pediatric palliative care (PPC) patients with a severe neurologic impairment (SNI) suffer considerable morbidity and increased mortality from lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs). The indication and choice of antibiotic therapy for bacterial LRTIs are often challenging given the lack of evidence-based treatment recommendations for this vulnerable patient population. We conducted an observational study before the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic in an eight-bed pediatric palliative care inpatient unit. During two years of surveillance, we diagnosed and treated 33 cases of a bacterial LRTI in patients with an SNI; 5 patients were hospitalized with an LRTI more than once. Two patients died from complications due to LRTIs during hospitalization. Three patients (15%) were colonized with multidrug-resistant organisms. An initial antibiotic treatment failed in one-third of the cases; a successful therapy of the LRTI was achieved with broad-spectrum and extended-spectrum penicillins (n = 13; in combination with β-lactamase inhibitors for n = 5 cases), cephalosporins (n = 13: n = 4 second-generation and n = 9 third-generation cephalosporins; in combination with other substances for n = 5 cases), ciprofloxacin (n = 3), and meropenem plus vancomycin (n = 2) or meropenem (n = 1). A respiratory specimen was obtained in 66.7% of cases with P. aeruginosa, E. coli, and K. pneumoniae accounting for the majority of the detected species. In most cases, there was no definite confirmation that the LRTI was caused by the species detected. The diagnostics and treatment of bacterial LRTIs in PPC patients with an SNI are challenging. The lack of controlled studies and the heterogeneity of this population often necessitate an individual approach. This lack of controlled studies may partly be compensated by a set of diagnostic and antibiotic stewardship criteria.
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Rose MA, Barker M, Liese J, Adams O, Ankermann T, Baumann U, Brinkmann F, Bruns R, Dahlheim M, Ewig S, Forster J, Hofmann G, Kemen C, Lück C, Nadal D, Nüßlein T, Regamey N, Riedler J, Schmidt S, Schwerk N, Seidenberg J, Tenenbaum T, Trapp S, van der Linden M. [Guidelines for the Management of Community Acquired Pneumonia in Children and Adolescents (Pediatric Community Acquired Pneumonia, pCAP) - Issued under the Responsibility of the German Society for Pediatric Infectious Diseases (DGPI) and the German Society for Pediatric Pulmonology (GPP)]. Pneumologie 2020; 74:515-544. [PMID: 32823360 DOI: 10.1055/a-1139-5132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
The present guideline aims to improve the evidence-based management of children and adolescents with pediatric community-acquired pneumonia (pCAP). Despite a prevalence of approx. 300 cases per 100 000 children per year in Central Europe, mortality is very low. Prevention includes infection control measures and comprehensive immunization. The diagnosis can and should be established clinically by history, physical examination and pulse oximetry, with fever and tachypnea as cardinal features. Additional signs or symptoms such as severely compromised general condition, poor feeding, dehydration, altered consciousness or seizures discriminate subjects with severe pCAP from those with non-severe pCAP. Within an age-dependent spectrum of infectious agents, bacterial etiology cannot be reliably differentiated from viral or mixed infections by currently available biomarkers. Most children and adolescents with non-severe pCAP and oxygen saturation > 92 % can be managed as outpatients without laboratory/microbiology workup or imaging. Anti-infective agents are not generally indicated and can be safely withheld especially in children of young age, with wheeze or other indices suggesting a viral origin. For calculated antibiotic therapy, aminopenicillins are the preferred drug class with comparable efficacy of oral (amoxicillin) and intravenous administration (ampicillin). Follow-up evaluation after 48 - 72 hours is mandatory for the assessment of clinical course, treatment success and potential complications such as parapneumonic pleural effusion or empyema, which may necessitate alternative or add-on therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- M A Rose
- Fachbereich Medizin, Johann-Wolfgang-Goethe-Universität Frankfurt/Main und Zentrum für Kinder- und Jugendmedizin, Klinikum St. Georg Leipzig
| | - M Barker
- Klinik für Kinder- und Jugendmedizin, Helios Klinikum Emil von Behring, Berlin
| | - J Liese
- Kinderklinik und Poliklinik, Universitätsklinikum an der Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, Würzburg
| | - O Adams
- Institut für Virologie, Universitätsklinikum Düsseldorf
| | - T Ankermann
- Klinik für Kinder- und Jugendmedizin 1, Universitätsklinikum Schleswig-Holstein, Campus Kiel
| | - U Baumann
- Pädiatrische Pneumologie, Allergologie und Neonatologie, Medizinische Hochschule Hannover
| | - F Brinkmann
- Klinik für Kinder- und Jugendmedizin, Universitätsklinikum Ruhr-Universität Bochum
| | - R Bruns
- Zentrum für Kinder- und Jugendmedizin, Ernst-Moritz-Arndt-Universität Greifswald
| | - M Dahlheim
- Praxis für Kinderpneumologie und Allergologie, Mannheim
| | - S Ewig
- Kliniken für Pneumologie und Infektiologie, Thoraxzentrum Ruhrgebiet, Bochum/Herne
| | - J Forster
- Kinderabteilung St. Hedwig, St. Josefskrankenhaus , Freiburg und Merzhausen
| | | | - C Kemen
- Katholisches Kinderkrankenhaus Wilhelmstift, Hamburg
| | - C Lück
- Institut für Medizinische Mikrobiologie und Hygiene, Technische Universität Dresden
| | - D Nadal
- Kinderspital Zürich, Schweiz
| | - T Nüßlein
- Klinik für Kinder- und Jugendmedizin, Gemeinschaftsklinikum Mittelrhein, Koblenz
| | - N Regamey
- Pädiatrische Pneumologie, Kinderspital Luzern, Schweiz
| | - J Riedler
- Kinder- und Jugendmedizin, Kardinal Schwarzenberg'sches Krankenhaus, Schwarzach, Österreich
| | - S Schmidt
- Zentrum für Kinder- und Jugendmedizin, Ernst-Moritz-Arndt-Universität Greifswald
| | - N Schwerk
- Pädiatrische Pneumologie, Allergologie und Neonatologie, Medizinische Hochschule Hannover
| | - J Seidenberg
- Klinik für pädiatrische Pneumologie und Allergologie, Neonatologie, Intensivmedizin und Kinderkardiologie, Klinikum Oldenburg
| | - T Tenenbaum
- Klinik für Kinder- und Jugendmedizin, Universitätsklinikum Mannheim
| | | | - M van der Linden
- Institut für Medizinische Mikrobiologie, Universitätsklinikum Aachen
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Das RR, Singh M, Naik SS. Vitamin D as an adjunct to antibiotics for the treatment of acute childhood pneumonia. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2018; 7:CD011597. [PMID: 30024634 PMCID: PMC6513535 DOI: 10.1002/14651858.cd011597.pub2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Children with acute pneumonia may be vitamin D deficient. Clinical trials have found that prophylactic vitamin D supplementation decreases the risk of developing pneumonia in children. Data on the therapeutic effects of vitamin D in acute childhood pneumonia are limited. OBJECTIVES To evaluate the efficacy and safety of vitamin D supplementation as an adjunct to antibiotics for the treatment of acute childhood pneumonia. SEARCH METHODS We searched CENTRAL (2017, Issue 7), which includes the Cochrane Acute Respiratory Infections Group's Specialised Register; Ovid MEDLINE Epub Ahead of Print; In-Process & Other Non-Indexed Citations; Ovid MEDLINE Daily and Ovid MEDLINE (1946 to July Week 4, 2017); and Embase (2010 to 28 July 2017). We also searched ClinicalTrials.gov and the World Health Organization (WHO) International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (ICTRP) on 28 July 2017. There were no language restrictions. SELECTION CRITERIA Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) including children (aged over one month and up to five years) hospitalised with acute community-acquired pneumonia, as defined by the WHO acute respiratory infection guidelines, that compared vitamin D supplementation with control. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS Two review authors independently assessed studies for inclusion and extracted data. For dichotomous data, we extracted the number of participants experiencing the outcome and the total number of participants in each treatment group. For continuous data, we used the arithmetic mean and standard deviation (SD) for each treatment group together with numbers of participants in each group. We used standard methodological procedures expected by Cochrane. MAIN RESULTS We included seven RCTs conducted in low-income countries that involved 1529 children (780 with pneumonia and 749 with severe or very severe pneumonia). Four studies used a single 100,000 IU dose of vitamin D₃ at the onset of illness or within 24 hours of hospital admission; two used a daily dose of oral vitamin D₃ (1000 IU for children aged up to one year and 2000 IU for children aged over one year) for five days; and one used a daily dose of oral vitamin D₃ (50,000 IU) for two days. One study reported microbiological and radiological diagnosis of pneumonia.The effects of vitamin D on outcomes were inconclusive when compared with control: time to resolution of acute illness (hours) (mean difference (MD) -0.95, 95% confidence interval (CI) -6.14 to 4.24; 3 studies; 935 children; low-quality evidence) mortality rate (risk ratio (RR) 0.97, 95% CI 0.06 to 15.28; 1 study; 193 children; very low-quality evidence); duration of hospitalisation (MD 0.49, 95% CI -8.41 to 9.4; 4 studies; 835 children; very low-quality evidence) and time to resolution of fever (MD 1.66, 95% CI -2.44 to 5.76; 4 studies; 584 children; very low-quality evidence).No major adverse events were reported.The GRADE assessment found very low-quality evidence (due to serious study limitations, inconsistencies, indirectness, and imprecision) for all outcomes except time to resolution of acute illness.One study was funded by the New Zealand Aid Corporation; one study was funded by an institutional grant; and five studies were unfunded. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS We are uncertain as to whether vitamin D has an important effect on outcomes because the results were imprecise. No major adverse events were reported. We assessed the quality of the evidence as very low to low. Several trials are ongoing and may provide additional information.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rashmi R Das
- All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS)Department of PediatricsSijuaBhubaneswarOdishaIndia751019
| | - Meenu Singh
- Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and ResearchDepartment of PediatricsSector 12ChandigarhIndia160012
| | - Sushree S Naik
- All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS)Department of Obstetrics and GynecologySijuaBhubaneswarOdishaIndia751019
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Alzomor O, Alhajjar S, Aljobair F, Alenizi A, Alodyani A, Alzahrani M, Aljubab A, Al Banyan E, Alshehri M, Alfwaz T, Alghoshimi M, Alhammadi M, Almazer Y, Elsidig N, Alghamdi F, Alsubaie S, Alshahrani D. Management of community-acquired pneumonia in infants and children: Clinical practice guidelines endorsed by the Saudi Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society. Int J Pediatr Adolesc Med 2017; 4:153-158. [PMID: 30805522 PMCID: PMC6372484 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpam.2017.12.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2017] [Accepted: 11/29/2017] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Omar Alzomor
- Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Children Specialized Hospital, King Fahad Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Sami Alhajjar
- Pediatric Infectious Diseases, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Fahad Aljobair
- Pediatric Infectious Diseases, King Saud Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ahmed Alenizi
- Pediatric Pulmonology, King Saud Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Abdularahman Alodyani
- Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Prince Sultan Military Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohammed Alzahrani
- Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Security Forces Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Abdulwahab Aljubab
- Pediatric Surgery, Children Specialized Hospital, King Fahad Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Esam Al Banyan
- Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Department of Pediatrics, King Abdulaziz Medical City, King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohammed Alshehri
- Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Children Specialized Hospital, King Fahad Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Tariq Alfwaz
- Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Children Specialized Hospital, King Fahad Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohammed Alghoshimi
- General Pediatrics, Children Specialized Hospital, King Fahad Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Moza Alhammadi
- Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Dubai Hospital, Dubai Health Authority, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
| | - Yousef Almazer
- Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Adan Hospital, Ministry of Health, Kuwait
| | - Nagi Elsidig
- Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Sultan Qaboos University Hospital (SQUH), Muscat, Oman
| | - Faisal Alghamdi
- Pediatric Emergency, Children Specialized Hospital, King Fahad Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Sarah Alsubaie
- Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Department of Pediatrics, King Khaled University Hospital, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Dayel Alshahrani
- Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Children Specialized Hospital, King Fahad Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
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Llor C, Pérez A, Carandell E, García-Sangenís A, Rezola J, Llorente M, Gestoso S, Bobé F, Román-Rodríguez M, Cots JM, Hernández S, Cortés J, Miravitlles M, Morros R. Efficacy of high doses of penicillin versus amoxicillin in the treatment of uncomplicated community acquired pneumonia in adults. A non-inferiority controlled clinical trial. Aten Primaria 2017; 51:32-39. [PMID: 29061311 PMCID: PMC6836912 DOI: 10.1016/j.aprim.2017.08.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2017] [Revised: 08/13/2017] [Accepted: 08/18/2017] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is treated with penicillin in some northern European countries. Objectives To evaluate whether high-dose penicillin V is as effective as high-dose amoxicillin for the treatment of non-severe CAP. Design Multicentre, parallel, double-blind, controlled, randomized clinical trial. Setting 31 primary care centers in Spain. Participants Patients from 18 to 75 years of age with no significant associated comorbidity and with symptoms of lower respiratory tract infection and radiological confirmation of CAP were randomized to receive either penicillin V 1.6 million units, or amoxicillin 1000 mg three times per day for 10 days. Main measurements The main outcome was clinical cure at 14 days, and the primary hypothesis was that penicillin V would be non-inferior to amoxicillin with regard to this outcome, with a margin of 15% for the difference in proportions. EudraCT register 2012-003511-63. Results A total of 43 subjects (amoxicillin: 28; penicillin: 15) were randomized. Clinical cure was observed in 10 (90.9%) patients assigned to penicillin and in 25 (100%) patients assigned to amoxicillin with a difference of −9.1% (95% CI, −41.3% to 6.4%; p = .951) for non-inferiority. In the intention-to-treat analysis, amoxicillin was found to be 28.6% superior to penicillin (95% CI, 7.3–58.1%; p = .009 for superiority). The number of adverse events was similar in both groups. Conclusions There was a trend favoring high-dose amoxicillin versus high-dose penicillin in adults with uncomplicated CAP. The main limitation of this trial was the low statistical power due to the low number of patients included.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carl Llor
- Primary Care Centre Via Roma, Barcelona, Spain.
| | | | | | - Anna García-Sangenís
- Institut Universitari d'Investigació en Atenció Primària Jordi Gol, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Javier Rezola
- Primary Care Centre Son Pisà, Palma de Mallorca, Spain
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Jordi Cortés
- Institut Universitari d'Investigació en Atenció Primària Jordi Gol, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Marc Miravitlles
- Pneumology Department, Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron, CIBER de Enfemedades Respiratorias (CIBERES), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Rosa Morros
- Institut Universitari d'Investigació en Atenció Primària Jordi Gol, Barcelona, Spain
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Lassi ZS, Imdad A, Bhutta ZA. Short-course versus long-course intravenous therapy with the same antibiotic for severe community-acquired pneumonia in children aged two months to 59 months. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2017; 10:CD008032. [PMID: 29020436 PMCID: PMC6485461 DOI: 10.1002/14651858.cd008032.pub3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pneumonia is a leading cause of childhood mortality from infectious disease, responsible for an estimated 1.3 million deaths annually in children under five years of age, many of which are in low-income countries. The World Health Organization recommends intravenous antibiotics for five days as first-line treatment for children with severe pneumonia. Although controversy exists regarding the specific clinical features used to diagnose pneumonia, the criteria for diagnosis of severe pneumonia are better defined and are widely used to triage children for referral and second-line therapy.In 2011 it was estimated that approximately 120 million new cases of pneumonia occur globally each year in children under five years of age, of which 14 million become severe episodes. Hospitalisation for severe pneumonia in children places a significant burden on both patients and their families, including substantial expense, loss of routine, and decrease in quality of life. By reducing the duration of hospital treatment, healthcare burdens could potentially be reduced and treatment compliance may improve.This is an update of a review published in 2015. OBJECTIVES To evaluate the efficacy of short-course (two to three days) versus long-course (five days) intravenous therapy (alone or in combination with oral antibiotics) with the same antibiotic for severe community-acquired pneumonia in children aged two months to 59 months. SEARCH METHODS We searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL; 2016, Issue 12), MEDLINE (1966 to December week 3, 2016), Embase (1974 to 22 December 2016), and four trials registers (23 August 2017), together with reference checking of all relevant trials and reviews. SELECTION CRITERIA Randomised controlled trials evaluating the efficacy of short-course (two to three days) versus long-course (five days) intravenous antibiotic therapy (alone or in combination with oral antibiotics) for severe pneumonia in children aged two months to 59 months. We excluded children with any other debilitating disease, including those infected with HIV. We also excluded children who had developed pneumonia during their hospital stay (i.e. with nosocomial infection). There was no restriction on the type of antibiotic used, the dose, or the frequency of dosing. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS We used standard methodological procedures expected by Cochrane. MAIN RESULTS Our searches identified 4295 records, however no studies met our predefined inclusion criteria. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS We identified no randomised controlled trials comparing a short course (two to three days) of intravenous antibiotics compared to a long course (five days) for severe pneumonia in children aged two months to 59 months that met our inclusion criteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zohra S Lassi
- The University of AdelaideThe Robinson Research InstituteAdelaideSouth AustraliaAustralia5005
| | - Aamer Imdad
- Vanderbilt University School of MedicineDepartment of Pediatrics, D. Brent Polk Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and NutritionNashvilleTNUSA37212
| | - Zulfiqar A Bhutta
- Hospital for Sick ChildrenCentre for Global Child HealthTorontoONCanadaM5G A04
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Versporten A, Bielicki J, Drapier N, Sharland M, Goossens H. The Worldwide Antibiotic Resistance and Prescribing in European Children (ARPEC) point prevalence survey: developing hospital-quality indicators of antibiotic prescribing for children. J Antimicrob Chemother 2016; 71:1106-17. [DOI: 10.1093/jac/dkv418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 186] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2015] [Accepted: 11/05/2015] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
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Rosati P, Di Salvo V, Crudo S, D'Amico R, Carlino C, Marchili MR, Gonfiantini M, Di Ciommo V. Are parents of children hospitalized with severe community-acquired pneumonia more satisfied with care when physicians allow them to share decisions on the antibiotic route? Health Expect 2015; 18:2278-87. [PMID: 24766676 PMCID: PMC5810709 DOI: 10.1111/hex.12197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/31/2014] [Indexed: 10/25/2022] Open
Abstract
CONTEXT AND OBJECTIVE Despite convincing evidence that oral and injected amoxicillin have equal efficacy in children with severe community-acquired pneumonia (CAP), hospitalized children often receive injected antibiotics. To investigate whether shared decision-making (choosing the antibiotic route) influences parental satisfaction. DESIGN, SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS In a one-year questionnaire-based study, we enrolled consecutive children hospitalized for CAP. At admission, all children's parents received a leaflet on CAP. Parents arriving during the daytime were assigned to a shared group and could choose the antibiotic route, those admitted at other times were assigned to an unshared group for whom physicians chose the antibiotic route. Shared group parents answered anonymous questionnaire investigating why they chose a specific route. Parents in both groups answered another anonymous questionnaire at discharge assessing perceived satisfaction with care. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE Parents' satisfaction with perceived medical information as assessed by data from a questionnaire. RESULTS Of the 95 children enrolled, more children's parents were assigned to the unshared than the shared group (77 vs. 18). Of the 18 children's parents in the shared group, 14 chose the oral antibiotic route mainly to avoid painful injections. Doctors explanations were considered better in the shared than in the unshared group (P = 0.02). DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS The larger number of children's parents assigned to the unshared group reflects paediatricians' reluctance to offer shared-decision making. Well-informed parents prefer oral antibiotic therapy for children with severe CAP. Allowing parents choose the antibiotic route respects parents' wishes, reduces children's pain and improves satisfaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paola Rosati
- Unit of Clinical Epidemiology Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital IRCCSRomeItaly
| | | | | | - Roberto D'Amico
- Italian Cochrane CentreDepartment of DiagnosticClinical and Public Health MedicineUniversity of Modena and Reggio EmiliaModenaItaly
| | - Cecilia Carlino
- Reasearch Training ProgramFacoltà di Medicina e ChirurgiaUniversità La SapienzaRomeItaly
| | | | | | - Vincenzo Di Ciommo
- Unit of Clinical Epidemiology Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital IRCCSRomeItaly
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Lassi ZS, Imdad A, Bhutta ZA. Short-course versus long-course intravenous therapy with the same antibiotic for severe community-acquired pneumonia in children aged two months to 59 months. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2015:CD008032. [PMID: 26077639 DOI: 10.1002/14651858.cd008032.pub2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pneumonia remains the single leading cause of childhood mortality, causing an estimated 1.3 million childhood deaths each year in children under the age of five years. The greater burden of disease occurs in low-income countries, where medical resources and hospital-based management are poor. The World Health Organization (WHO) current evidence summaries recommend intravenous antibiotics for five days as first-line treatment for severe pneumonia. Although there is controversy around the specificity of clinical features in the diagnosis of pneumonia, the criteria for the diagnosis of severe pneumonia are better defined and widely used to triage children for referral and second-line therapy.Approximately 120 million new cases of pneumonia occur globally each year in children under five years of age, of which 14 million progress to severe episodes. Hospitalisation for severe pneumonia in children places a significant burden on both patients and their families, including substantial expense, loss of routine and decrease in quality of life. By reducing the duration of treatment in the hospital, this burden could potentially be lessened and possibly lead to better treatment compliance. OBJECTIVES To evaluate the efficacy of short-course (two to three days) versus long-course (five days) intravenous therapy with the same antibiotic for severe community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in children aged two months to 59 months. SEARCH METHODS We searched CENTRAL (2015, Issue 1), MEDLINE (1966 to January week 4, 2015) and EMBASE (1974 to February 2015). SELECTION CRITERIA Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating the efficacy of short-course (two to three days) versus long-course (five days) intravenous antibiotic therapy for severe pneumonia in children aged two months to 59 months. We excluded children with any other debilitating disease, including those infected with HIV and we excluded children with signs and symptoms of very severe pneumonia (i.e. unable to drink or breast feed, vomiting, lethargic, unconscious, convulsing, central cyanosis, severe respiratory distress or clinically severe malnutrition). We also excluded children who had developed pneumonia during their hospital stay (i.e. with nosocomial infection). There was no restriction on the type of antibiotic used, the dose or the frequency of dosing. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS We used the standard methodological procedures expected by The Cochrane Collaboration. MAIN RESULTS We identified 2352 studies, however none fulfilled our pre-defined inclusion criteria. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS We did not identify any RCTs comparing a short course (two to three days) of intravenous antibiotics compared to a long course (five days) for severe pneumonia in children aged two to 59 months.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zohra S Lassi
- ARCH: Australian Research Centre for Health of Women and Babies, The Robinson Research Institute, Discipline of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia, 5005
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Das RR, Singh M, Naik SS. Vitamin D as an adjunct to antibiotics for the treatment of acute childhood pneumonia. Hippokratia 2015. [DOI: 10.1002/14651858.cd011597] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Rashmi R Das
- All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS); Department of Pediatrics; Sijua Bhubaneswar Odisha India 751019
| | - Meenu Singh
- Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research; Department of Pediatrics; Sector 12 Chandigarh India 160012
| | - Sushree S Naik
- SCB Medical College; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology; Ranihat Cuttack India 753007
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Gizework A, Seyfe AA. Assessment of the pattern of antibiotics use in pediatrics ward of Dessie Referral Hospital, North East Ethiopia. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2015. [DOI: 10.5897/ijmms2014.1101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/31/2022]
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Das RR, Singh M. Treatment of severe community-acquired pneumonia with oral amoxicillin in under-five children in developing country: a systematic review. PLoS One 2013; 8:e66232. [PMID: 23825532 PMCID: PMC3692509 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0066232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2013] [Accepted: 05/02/2013] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To assess the evidence regarding efficacy of oral amoxicillin compared to standard treatment for WHO-defined severe community acquired pneumonia in under-five children in developing country. DESIGN Systematic review and meta-analysis of data from published Randomized trials (RCTs). DATA SOURCES MEDLINE (1970- July 2012) via PubMed, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL, The Cochrane Library, Issue 7, July 2012), and EMBASE (1988- June 2012). METHODS Eligible trials compared oral amoxicillin administered in ambulatory setting versus standard treatment for WHO-defined severe community acquired pneumonia in children under-five. Primary outcomes were proportion of children developing treatment failure at 48 hr, and day 6. GRADE criteria was used to rate the quality of evidence. RESULTS Out of 281 full text articles assessed for eligibility, 5 trials including 12364 children were included in the meta-analysis. Oral amoxicillin administered either in hospital or community setting is effective in treatment of severe pneumonia and is not inferior to the standard treatment. None of the clinical predictors of treatment failure by 48 hr (very severe disease, fever and lower chest indrawing, and voluntary with-drawl and loss to follow up) was significant between the two groups. The clinical predictors of treatment failure that were significant by day 6 were very severe disease, inability to drink, change of antibiotic, and fever alone. The effect was almost consistent across the studies. CONCLUSION Though oral amoxicillin is effective in treatment of severe CAP in under-five children in developing country, the evidence generated is of low-quality. More trials with uniform comparators are needed in order to strengthen the evidence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rashmi Ranjan Das
- Department of Pediatrics, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Bhubaneswar, India
| | - Meenu Singh
- Department of Pediatrics, Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, India
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Abstract
BACKGROUND Pneumonia caused by bacterial pathogens is the leading cause of mortality in children in low-income countries. Early administration of antibiotics improves outcomes. OBJECTIVES To identify effective antibiotic drug therapies for community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) of varying severity in children by comparing various antibiotics. SEARCH METHODS We searched CENTRAL 2012, Issue 10; MEDLINE (1966 to October week 4, 2012); EMBASE (1990 to November 2012); CINAHL (2009 to November 2012); Web of Science (2009 to November 2012) and LILACS (2009 to November 2012). SELECTION CRITERIA Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) in children of either sex, comparing at least two antibiotics for CAP within hospital or ambulatory (outpatient) settings. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS Two review authors independently extracted data from the full articles of selected studies. MAIN RESULTS We included 29 trials, which enrolled 14,188 children, comparing multiple antibiotics. None compared antibiotics with placebo.Assessment of quality of study revealed that 5 out of 29 studies were double-blind and allocation concealment was adequate. Another 12 studies were unblinded but had adequate allocation concealment, classifying them as good quality studies. There was more than one study comparing co-trimoxazole with amoxycillin, oral amoxycillin with injectable penicillin/ampicillin and chloramphenicol with ampicillin/penicillin and studies were of good quality, suggesting the evidence for these comparisons was of high quality compared to other comparisons.In ambulatory settings, for treatment of World Health Organization (WHO) defined non-severe CAP, amoxycillin compared with co-trimoxazole had similar failure rates (odds ratio (OR) 1.18, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.91 to 1.51) and cure rates (OR 1.03, 95% CI 0.56 to 1.89). Three studies involved 3952 children.In children with severe pneumonia without hypoxaemia, oral antibiotics (amoxycillin/co-trimoxazole) compared with injectable penicillin had similar failure rates (OR 0.84, 95% CI 0.56 to 1.24), hospitalisation rates (OR 1.13, 95% CI 0.38 to 3.34) and relapse rates (OR 1.28, 95% CI 0.34 to 4.82). Six studies involved 4331 children below 18 years of age.In very severe CAP, death rates were higher in children receiving chloramphenicol compared to those receiving penicillin/ampicillin plus gentamicin (OR 1.25, 95% CI 0.76 to 2.07). One study involved 1116 children. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS For treatment of patients with CAP in ambulatory settings, amoxycillin is an alternative to co-trimoxazole. With limited data on other antibiotics, co-amoxyclavulanic acid and cefpodoxime may be alternative second-line drugs. Children with severe pneumonia without hypoxaemia can be treated with oral amoxycillin in an ambulatory setting. For children hospitalised with severe and very severe CAP, penicillin/ampicillin plus gentamycin is superior to chloramphenicol. The other alternative drugs for such patients are co-amoxyclavulanic acid and cefuroxime. Until more studies are available, these can be used as second-line therapies.There is a need for more studies with radiographically confirmed pneumonia in larger patient populations and similar methodologies to compare newer antibiotics. Recommendations in this review are applicable to countries with high case fatalities due to pneumonia in children without underlying morbidities and where point of care tests for identification of aetiological agents for pneumonia are not available.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rakesh Lodha
- All India Institute of Medical SciencesDepartment of PediatricsAnsari NagarNew DelhiIndia110029
| | - Sushil K Kabra
- All India Institute of Medical SciencesPediatric Pulmonology Division, Department of PediatricsAnsari NagarNew DelhiIndia110029
| | - Ravindra M Pandey
- All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS)Department of BiostatisticsAnsari NagarNew DelhiIndia110029
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Llor C, Arranz J, Morros R, García-Sangenís A, Pera H, Llobera J, Guillén-Solà M, Carandell E, Ortega J, Hernández S, Miravitlles M. Efficacy of high doses of oral penicillin versus amoxicillin in the treatment of adults with non-severe pneumonia attended in the community: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial. BMC FAMILY PRACTICE 2013; 14:50. [PMID: 23594463 PMCID: PMC3637575 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2296-14-50] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2013] [Accepted: 04/08/2013] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Background Streptococcus pneumoniae is the bacterial agent which most frequently causes pneumonia. In some Scandinavian countries, this infection is treated with penicillin V since the resistances of pneumococci to this antibiotic are low. Four reasons justify the undertaking of this study; firstly, the cut-off points which determine whether a pneumococcus is susceptible or resistant to penicillin have changed in 2008 and according to some studies published recently the pneumococcal resistances to penicillin in Spain have fallen drastically, with only 0.9% of the strains being resistant to oral penicillin (minimum inhibitory concentration>2 μg/ml); secondly, there is no correlation between pneumococcal infection by a strain resistant to penicillin and therapeutic failure in pneumonia; thirdly, the use of narrow-spectrum antibiotics is urgently needed because of the dearth of new antimicrobials and the link observed between consumption of broad-spectrum antibiotics and emergence and spread of antibacterial resistance; and fourthly, no clinical study comparing amoxicillin and penicillin V in pneumonia in adults has been published. Our aim is to determine whether high-dose penicillin V is as effective as high-dose amoxicillin for the treatment of uncomplicated community-acquired pneumonia. Methods We will perform a parallel group, randomised, double-blind, trial in primary healthcare centres in Spain. Patients aged 18 to 65 without significant associated comorbidity attending the physician with signs and symptoms of lower respiratory tract infection and radiological confirmation of the diagnosis of pneumonia will be randomly assigned to either penicillin V 1.6 million units thrice-daily during 10 days or amoxicillin 1,000 mg thrice-daily during 10 days. The main outcome will be clinical cure at 14 days, defined as absence of fever, resolution or improvement of cough, improvement of general wellbeing and resolution or reduction of crackles indicating that no other antimicrobial treatment will be necessary. Any clinical result other than the anterior will be considered as treatment failure. A total of 210 patients will be recruited to detect a non-inferiority margin of 15% between the two treatments with a minimum power of 80% considering an alpha error of 2.5% for a unilateral hypothesis and maximum possible losses of 15%. Discussion This pragmatic trial addresses the long-standing hypothesis that the administration of high doses of a narrow-spectrum antibiotic (penicillin V) in patients with non-severe pneumonia attended in the community is not less effective than high doses of amoxicillin (treatment currently recommended) in patients under the age of 65 years. Trial registration EudraCT number 2012-003511-63.
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Nash-Stewart CE, Kruesi LM, Del Mar CB. Does Bradford's Law of Scattering predict the size of the literature in Cochrane Reviews? J Med Libr Assoc 2012; 100:135-8. [PMID: 22514511 DOI: 10.3163/1536-5050.100.2.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022] Open
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Agweyu A, Opiyo N, English M. Experience developing national evidence-based clinical guidelines for childhood pneumonia in a low-income setting--making the GRADE? BMC Pediatr 2012; 12:1. [PMID: 22208358 PMCID: PMC3268095 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2431-12-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2011] [Accepted: 01/01/2012] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The development of evidence-based clinical practice guidelines has gained wide acceptance in high-income countries and reputable international organizations. Whereas this approach may be a desirable standard, challenges remain in low-income settings with limited capacity and resources for evidence synthesis and guideline development. We present our experience using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) approach for the recent revision of the Kenyan pediatric clinical guidelines focusing on antibiotic treatment of pneumonia. METHODS A team of health professionals, many with minimal prior experience conducting systematic reviews, carried out evidence synthesis for structured clinical questions. Summaries were compiled and distributed to a panel of clinicians, academicians and policy-makers to generate recommendations based on best available research evidence and locally-relevant contextual factors. RESULTS We reviewed six eligible articles on non-severe and 13 on severe/very severe pneumonia. Moderate quality evidence suggesting similar clinical outcomes comparing amoxicillin and cotrimoxazole for non-severe pneumonia received a strong recommendation against adopting amoxicillin. The panel voted strongly against amoxicillin for severe pneumonia over benzyl penicillin despite moderate quality evidence suggesting clinical equivalence between the two and additional factors favoring amoxicillin. Very low quality evidence suggesting ceftriaxone was as effective as the standard benzyl penicillin plus gentamicin for very severe pneumonia received a strong recommendation supporting the standard treatment. CONCLUSIONS Although this exercise may have fallen short of the rigorous requirements recommended by the developers of GRADE, it was arguably an improvement on previous attempts at guideline development in low-income countries and offers valuable lessons for future similar exercises where resources and locally-generated evidence are scarce.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ambrose Agweyu
- Kenya Medical Research Institute - Wellcome Trust Research Programme, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Newton Opiyo
- Kenya Medical Research Institute - Wellcome Trust Research Programme, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Mike English
- Kenya Medical Research Institute - Wellcome Trust Research Programme, Nairobi, Kenya
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
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Abstract
Childhood pneumonias are an important cause of morbidity and mortality and annually contribute to over 2 million deaths among children under five years of age. To combat this, a standardized case management protocol developed by the World Health Organization has been adopted by the National programs in most high burden, resource constrained settings. This can detect patients with pneumonia early on and with ease at community level and also identify those who are at risk of dying due to a severe form of the disease if not referred or appropriately treated. However, as most deaths due to pneumonia occur in health facilities, it is equally important to standardise treatment at a facility level with pulse oximetry, regular monitoring for complications and the judicious use of antibiotics. The challenge is to identify other respiratory illnesses which mimic pneumonia resulting in under treatment with bronchodilators and over usage of antibiotics. This becomes particularly important in developing countries which have the dual burden of both the infectious and non-infectious illnesses. The strategy also needs refinement for diagnosing and treating pneumonia in severely under nourished and / or HIV co-infected children who are both at higher risk of disease as well as death due to it.
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Affiliation(s)
- Varinder Singh
- Department of Paediatrics, Lady Hardinge Medical College and assoc Kalawati Saran Children's Hospital, Bangla Sahib Marg, N Delhi 110001, India.
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20
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Abstract
BACKGROUND Cellulitis and erysipelas are now usually considered manifestations of the same condition, a skin infection associated with severe pain and systemic symptoms. A range of antibiotic treatments are suggested in guidelines. OBJECTIVES To assess the efficacy and safety of interventions for non-surgically-acquired cellulitis. SEARCH STRATEGY In May 2010 we searched for randomised controlled trials in the Cochrane Skin Group Specialised Register, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials in The Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the ongoing trials databases. SELECTION CRITERIA We selected randomised controlled trials comparing two or more different interventions for cellulitis. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS Two authors independently assessed trial quality and extracted data. MAIN RESULTS We included 25 studies with a total of 2488 participants. Our primary outcome 'symptoms rated by participant or medical practitioner or proportion symptom-free' was commonly reported. No two trials examined the same drugs, therefore we grouped similar types of drugs together.Macrolides/streptogramins were found to be more effective than penicillin antibiotics (Risk ratio (RR) 0.84, 95% CI 0.73 to 0.97). In 3 trials involving 419 people, 2 of these studies used oral macrolide against intravenous (iv) penicillin demonstrating that oral therapies can be more effective than iv therapies (RR 0.85, 95% CI 0.73 to 0.98).Three studies with a total of 88 people comparing a penicillin with a cephalosporin showed no difference in treatment effect (RR 0.99, 95% CI 0.68 to 1.43).Six trials which included 538 people that compared different generations of cephalosporin, showed no difference in treatment effect (RR 1.00, 95% CI 0.94 to1.06).We found only small single studies for duration of antibiotic treatment, intramuscular versus intravenous route, the addition of corticosteroid to antibiotic treatment compared with antibiotic alone, and vibration therapy, so there was insufficient evidence to form conclusions. Only two studies investigated treatments for severe cellulitis and these selected different antibiotics for their comparisons, so we cannot make firm conclusions. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS We cannot define the best treatment for cellulitis and most recommendations are made on single trials. There is a need for trials to evaluate the efficacy of oral antibiotics against intravenous antibiotics in the community setting as there are service implications for cost and comfort.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sally A Kilburn
- School of Health Sciences and Social Work, University of Portsmouth, James Watson West, 2 King Richard 1st Road, Portsmouth, Hampshire, UK, PO1 2FR
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Turner TJ, Barnes H, Reid J, Garrubba M. Evidence for perinatal and child health care guidelines in crisis settings: can Cochrane help? BMC Public Health 2010; 10:170. [PMID: 20350326 PMCID: PMC3091544 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2458-10-170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2009] [Accepted: 03/29/2010] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND It is important that healthcare provided in crisis settings is based on the best available research evidence. We reviewed guidelines for child and perinatal health care in crisis situations to determine whether they were based on research evidence, whether Cochrane systematic reviews were available in the clinical areas addressed by these guidelines and whether summaries of these reviews were provided in Evidence Aid. METHODS Broad internet searches were undertaken to identify relevant guidelines. Guidelines were appraised using AGREE and the clinical areas that were relevant to perinatal or child health were extracted. We searched The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews to identify potentially relevant reviews. For each review we determined how many trials were included, and how many were conducted in resource-limited settings. RESULTS Six guidelines met selection criteria. None of the included guidelines were clearly based on research evidence. 198 Cochrane reviews were potentially relevant to the guidelines. These reviews predominantly addressed nutrient supplementation, breastfeeding, malaria, maternal hypertension, premature labour and prevention of HIV transmission. Most reviews included studies from developing settings. However for large portions of the guidelines, particularly health services delivery, there were no relevant reviews. Only 18 (9.1%) reviews have summaries in Evidence Aid. CONCLUSIONS We did not identify any evidence-based guidelines for perinatal and child health care in disaster settings. We found many Cochrane reviews that could contribute to the evidence-base supporting future guidelines. However there are important issues to be addressed in terms of the relevance of the available reviews and increasing the number of reviews addressing health care delivery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tari J Turner
- Monash Institute of Health Services Research, Monash University, Locked Bag 29, Clayton 3168 Australia
- Centre for Clinical Effectiveness, Southern Health, Locked Bag 29, Clayton 3168 Australia
| | - Hayley Barnes
- previously of the Australasian Cochrane Centre, Monash University, Locked Bag 29, Clayton 3168 Australia
| | - Jane Reid
- Centre for Clinical Effectiveness, Southern Health, Locked Bag 29, Clayton 3168 Australia
| | - Marie Garrubba
- Centre for Clinical Effectiveness, Southern Health, Locked Bag 29, Clayton 3168 Australia
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Abstract
BACKGROUND Pneumonia caused by bacterial pathogens is the leading cause of mortality in children in low-income countries. Early administration of antibiotics improves outcomes. OBJECTIVES To identify effective antibiotics for community acquired pneumonia (CAP) in children by comparing various antibiotics. SEARCH STRATEGY We searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) (The Cochrane Library 2009, issue 2) which contains the Cochrane Acute Respiratory Infections Group's Specialised Register; MEDLINE (1966 to September 2009); and EMBASE (1990 to September 2009). SELECTION CRITERIA Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) in children of either sex, comparing at least two antibiotics for CAP within hospital or ambulatory (outpatient) settings. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS Two review authors independently extracted data from full articles of selected studies. MAIN RESULTS There were 27 studies, which enroled 11,928 children, comparing multiple antibiotics. None compared antibiotic with placebo.For ambulatory treatment of non-severe CAP, amoxycillin compared with co-trimoxazole had similar failure rates (OR 0.92; 95% CI 0.58 to 1.47) and cure rates (OR 1.12; 95% CI 0.61 to 2.03). (Three studies involved 3952 children).In children hospitalised with severe CAP, oral amoxycillin compared with injectable penicillin or ampicillin had similar failure rates (OR 0.95; 95% CI 0.78 to 1.15). (Three studies involved 3942 children). Relapse rates were similar in the two groups (OR 1.28; 95% CI 0.34 to 4.82).In very severe CAP, death rates were higher in children receiving chloramphenicol compared to those receiving penicillin/ampicillin plus gentamycin (OR 1.25; 95% CI 0.76 to 2.07). (One study involved 1116 children). AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS There were many studies with different methodologies investigating multiple antibiotics. For treatment of ambulatory patients with CAP, amoxycillin is an alternative to co-trimoxazole. With limited data on other antibiotics, co-amoxyclavulanic acid and cefpodoxime may be alternative second-line drugs. For severe pneumonia without hypoxia, oral amoxycillin may be an alternative to injectable penicillin in hospitalised children; however, for ambulatory treatment of such patients with oral antibiotics, more studies in community settings are required. For children hospitalised with severe and very severe CAP, penicillin/ampicillin plus gentamycin is superior to chloramphenicol. The other alternative drugs for such patients are ceftrioxone, levofloxacin, co-amoxyclavulanic acid and cefuroxime. Until more studies are available, these can be used as a second-line therapy.There is a need for more studies with larger patient populations and similar methodologies to compare newer antibiotics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sushil K Kabra
- Pediatric Pulmonology Division, Department of Pediatrics, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Ansari Nagar, New Delhi, India, 110029
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Chowdhury EK, El Arifeen S, Rahman M, Hoque DE, Hossain MA, Begum K, Siddik A, Begum N, Sadeq-ur Rahman Q, Akter T, Haque TM, Al-Helal ZM, Baqui AH, Bryce J, Black RE. Care at first-level facilities for children with severe pneumonia in Bangladesh: a cohort study. Lancet 2008; 372:822-30. [PMID: 18715634 DOI: 10.1016/s0140-6736(08)61166-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Guidelines on integrated management of childhood illness (IMCI) for severe pneumonia recommend referral to hospitals. However, in many settings, children who are referred do not actually attend hospital, which severely limits appropriate care. We aimed to assess the safety and effectiveness of modified guidelines that allowed most children with severe pneumonia to be treated locally in first-level facilities, with referral only for those with danger signs or other severe classifications. METHODS We did an observational cohort study in ten first-level health facilities in Matlab, rural Bangladesh that had implemented IMCI guidelines. We assessed children with severe pneumonia who were aged between 2 and 59 months, and for whom we could obtain complete information, in two cohorts: 261 children who presented to these facilities between May, 2003, and April, 2004 (before implementation of the modified guidelines) and 1271 children between September, 2004, and August, 2005 (after full implementation). We obtained information about the characteristics and management of their illness, including referrals and admissions to hospital, from facility records. Staff visited households to obtain details of treatment, socioeconomic information, and final outcome, including mortality data. FINDINGS 245 (94%) of 261 children who had severe pneumonia were referred to hospital before the guidelines were modified, compared with 107 (8%) of 1271 after implementation (p<0.0001). 94 (36%) children with severe pneumonia received correct management before the guidelines were modified, compared with 1145 (90%) children after implementation (p<0.0001). Before modification of the guidelines, three children with severe pneumonia who presented at first-level facilities died, with a case-fatality rate of 1.1%; after modification, seven children died, with a case-fatality rate of 0.6% (p=0.39). INTERPRETATION Local adaptation of the IMCI guidelines, with appropriate training and supervision, could allow safe and effective management of severe pneumonia, especially if compliance with referral is difficult because of geographic, financial, or cultural barriers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Enayet K Chowdhury
- International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (ICDDR,B) Dhaka, Bangladesh
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Abstract
Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is a significant cause of childhood morbidity and mortality worldwide. Viral etiology is most common in young children and decreases with age. Streptococcus pneumoniae is the single most common bacterial cause across all age groups. Atypical organisms present similarly across all age groups and may be more common than previously recognized.A bacterial pneumonia should be considered in children presenting with fever >38.5 degrees C, tachypnea, and chest recession. Oxygen therapy is life saving and should be given when oxygen saturation is <92%. For non-severe pneumonia, oral amoxicillin is the antibacterial of choice with low failure rates reported. Severely ill children are traditionally treated with parenteral antibacterials. Penicillin non-susceptible S. pneumoniae prevalence rates are increasing and have been linked to community antibacterial prescribing. Most pneumococci remain sensitive to high-dose penicillin-based antibacterials but macrolide resistance is also a problem in some communities. However, primary combination treatment with macrolides is indicated in areas where there is a high prevalence of atypical organisms. The most common complications in CAP are parapneumonic effusions and empyema. The use of ultrasonography combined with intercostal drainage augmented with the use of fibrinolytic therapy has significantly reduced the morbidity associated with these complications. There is increasing evidence that a preventative strategy with the 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV-7) results in a significant fall in CAP in early childhood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krishne Chetty
- Department of Paediatrics, John Radcliffe Hospital, Headington, Oxford, UK
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