Differences upon admission and in hospital course of children hospitalized with community-acquired pneumonia with or without radiologically-confirmed pneumonia: a retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: The use of chest radiograph (CXR) for the diagnosis of childhood community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is controversial. We assessed if children with CAP diagnosed on clinical grounds, with or without radiologically-confirmed pneumonia on admission, evolved differently. METHODS: Children aged ≥ 2 months, hospitalized with CAP diagnosed on clinical grounds, treated with 200,000 IU/Kg/day of aqueous penicillin G for ≥ 48 h and with CXR taken upon admission, without pleural effusion, were included in this retrospective cohort. One researcher, blinded to the radiological diagnosis, collected data on demographics, clinical history and physical examination on admission, daily hospital course during the first 2 days of treatment, and outcome, all from medical charts. Radiological confirmation of pneumonia was based on presence of pulmonary infiltrate detected by a paediatric radiologist who was also blinded to clinical data. Variables were initially compared by bivariate analysis. Multi-variable logistic regression analysis assessed independent association between radiologically-confirmed pneumonia and factors which significantly differed during hospital course in the bivariate analysis. The multi-variable analysis was performed in a model adjusted for age and for the same factor present upon admission. RESULTS: 109 (38.5%) children had radiologically-confirmed pneumonia, 143 (50.5%) had normal CXR and 31 (11.0%) had atelectasis or peribronchial thickening. Children without radiologically-confirmed pneumonia were younger than those with radiologically-confirmed pneumonia (median [IQR]: 14 [7-28 months versus 21 [12-44] months; P = 0.001). None died. The subgroup with radiologically-confirmed pneumonia presented fever on D1 (33.7 vs. 19.1; P = 0.015) and on D2 (31.6% vs. 16.2%; P = 0.004) more frequently. The subgroup without radiologically-confirmed pneumonia had chest indrawing on D1 (22.4% vs. 11.9%; P = 0.027) more often detected. By multi-variable analysis, Fever on D2 (OR [95% CI]: 2.16 [1.15-4.06]) was directly and independently associated with radiologically-confirmed pneumonia upon admission. CONCLUSION: The compared subgroups evolved differently.

Retrospective analysis of the efficacies of two different regimens of aqueous penicillin G administered to children with pneumonia.

Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is an important childhood health problem. Penicillin remains appropriate for treating children with CAP. Clinical data are lacking on disease evolution in children treated with different posologic schemes of aqueous penicillin G. To assess if there were differences in disease evolution between children with CAP treated with 6 or 4 daily doses of aqueous penicillin G, we reviewed the medical charts of hospitalized patients 2 months to 11.5 years of age. Pneumonia was radiologically confirmed based on the detection of pulmonary infiltrate or pleural effusion on the chest radiograph taken on admission and read by a pediatric radiologist blinded to the clinical data. The total daily dose of aqueous penicillin G was 200,000 IU/kg of body weight. Data were recorded on admission, during disease evolution up to the 7th day of treatment, and at the final outcome. The results of hospitalization and the daily frequency of physical signs suggestive of pneumonia were assessed. The subgroups comprised 120 and 144 children who received aqueous penicillin G in 6 or 4 daily doses, respectively. Children≥5 years of age were more frequent in the 4-daily-doses subgroup (16.0% versus 4.2%; respectively, P=0.02). There were no differences between the compared subgroups in terms of final outcomes, lengths of hospitalization, durations of aqueous penicillin G use, frequencies of aqueous penicillin G substitution, or daily frequencies of tachypnea, fever, chest retraction, lower chest recession, nasal flaring, and cyanosis up to the 7th day of treatment. The studied posologic regimens were similarly effective in treating children hospitalized with a radiologically confirmed CAP diagnosis. Aqueous penicillin G (200,000 IU/kg/day) may be given in 4 daily doses to children with CAP.

Outcome of children hospitalized with community-acquired pneumonia treated with aqueous penicillin G.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the evolution and outcome of children hospitalized with community-acquired pneumonia receiving penicillin. METHODS: A search was carried out for all hospitalized community-acquired pneumonia cases in a 37-month period. Inclusion criteria comprised age >2 months, intravenous penicillin G use at 200,000 IU/kg/day for >48 h and chest x-ray results. Confounders leading to exclusion included underlying debilitating or chronic pulmonary illnesses, nosocomial pneumonia or transference to another hospital. Pneumonia was confirmed if a pulmonary infiltrate or pleural effusion was described by an independent radiologist blind to the clinical information. Data on admission and evolution were entered on a standardized form. RESULTS: Of 154 studied cases, 123 (80%) and 40 (26%) had pulmonary infiltrate or pleural effusion, respectively. Penicilli was substituted by other antibiotics in 28 (18%) patients, in whom the sole significant decrease was in the frequency of tachypnea from the first to the second day of treatment (86% vs. 50%, p = 0.008). Among patients treated exclusively with penicillin G, fever (46% vs. 26%, p = 0.002), tachypnea (74% vs. 59%, p = 0.003), chest indrawing (29% vs. 13%, p<0.001) and nasal flaring (10% vs. 1.6%, p = 0.001) frequencies significantly decreased from admission to the first day of treatment. Patients treated with other antimicrobial agents stayed longer in the hospital than those treated solely with penicillin G (16 ± 6 vs. 8 ± 4 days, p<0.001, mean difference (95% confidence interval) 8 (6-10)). None of the studied patients died. CONCLUSION: Penicillin G successfully treated 82% (126/154) of the study group and improvement was marked on the first day of treatment.

Outcome of children hospitalized with community-acquired pneumonia treated with aqueous penicillin G

OBJECTIVE: To describe the evolution and outcome of children hospitalized with community-acquired pneumonia receiving penicillin. METHODS: A search was carried out for all hospitalized community-acquired pneumonia cases in a 37-month period. Inclusion criteria comprised age >2 months, intravenous penicillin G use at 200,000 IU/kg/day for >48 h and chest x-ray results. Confounders leading to exclusion included underlying debilitating or chronic pulmonary illnesses, nosocomial pneumonia or transference to another hospital. Pneumonia was confirmed if a pulmonary infiltrate or pleural effusion was described by an independent radiologist blind to the clinical information. Data on admission and evolution were entered on a standardized form. RESULTS: Of 154 studied cases, 123 (80 percent) and 40 (26 percent) had pulmonary infiltrate or pleural effusion, respectively. Penicilli was substituted by other antibiotics in 28 (18 percent) patients, in whom the sole significant decrease was in the frequency of tachypnea from the first to the second day of treatment (86 percent vs. 50 percent, p = 0.008). Among patients treated exclusively with penicillin G, fever (46 percent vs. 26 percent, p = 0.002), tachypnea (74 percent vs. 59 percent, p = 0.003), chest indrawing (29 percent vs. 13 percent, p<0.001) and nasal flaring (10 percent vs. 1.6 percent, p = 0.001) frequencies significantly decreased from admission to the first day of treatment. Patients treated with other antimicrobial agents stayed longer in the hospital than those treated solely with penicillin G (16±6 vs. 8±4 days, p<0.001, mean difference (95 percent confidence interval) 8 (6-10)). None of the studied patients died. CONCLUSION: Penicillin G successfully treated 82 percent (126/154) of the study group and improvement was marked on the first day of treatment.