Efficacy and safety of short- versus standard-course ceftriaxone therapy in children with pneumonia: A randomized trial.
Mei Lv, Yang Yang, Liyun Fang et al.
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In 30 seconds
This randomized controlled trial evaluated the efficacy and safety of short-course (5-7 days) versus standard-course (7-14 days) ceftriaxone therapy in 200 children aged 1-14 years with pneumonia. The study found that both treatment durations had comparable overall efficacy, but short-course therapy significantly reduced hospital stay and adverse events, while standard-course therapy was associated with lower recurrence rates and better inflammatory marker normalization by day 5.
Key findings
- Short-course ceftriaxone reduced hospital stay and adverse events (P<0.05).
- Standard-course ceftriaxone lowered recurrence rate (P<0.05).
- Both treatment groups had comparable symptom relief time and overall efficacy (P>0.05).
- Standard-course achieved superior inflammatory marker normalization by day 5 (P<0.05).
Why it matters
Understanding the optimal duration of antibiotic therapy in pediatric pneumonia is crucial for improving patient outcomes, minimizing hospital stays, and reducing adverse events. This study provides evidence to guide treatment decisions based on disease severity.