Empirical Antibiotic Therapy for the Management of Empyema Thoracis in Children: A Systematic Review.
Meenakshi Malik, N S Chithambaram, Jasmeet Kaur et al.
✦ AI-curated · Sources linked
In 30 seconds
This systematic review evaluated empirical antibiotic therapy for empyema thoracis in children, analyzing 17 studies from various databases. Cloxacillin was the most frequently used antibiotic, deemed appropriate in six studies involving 419 children, while third-generation cephalosporins were appropriate in four studies with 283 children. The review highlights the lack of consistent data on clinical outcomes.
Key findings
- Cloxacillin was used as empirical therapy in 10 out of 17 studies involving 638 children.
- Cloxacillin was deemed appropriate in six studies with 419 children where Staphylococcus aureus was identified.
- Third-generation cephalosporins were used in 9 out of 17 studies involving 444 children.
- These cephalosporins were deemed appropriate in four studies with 283 children.
Why it matters
Understanding the effectiveness of empirical antibiotic choices in pediatric empyema is crucial for improving treatment outcomes. This review provides insights that can guide clinicians in selecting appropriate antibiotics while awaiting microbiological confirmation.
What to keep in mind
The review noted insufficient and inconsistently reported data on clinical outcomes and the need to change empirical antibiotics.