Reducing unnecessary antibiotic use and hospitalization in children with pneumonia

Background: Pneumonia is the leading cause of paediatric admission and antibiotic use in Vietnam. There is a need for better prediction of ‘unlikely bacterial pneumonia’ to guide rational antibiotic use, and ‘adverse pneumonia outcome’ to improve hospital care. Methods: We prospectively collected data on all children Results: Of 3,817 patients assessed, 984 (25.8%) were classified as ‘no pneumonia’, 305 (8.0%) as ‘likely viral’ and 129 (3.4%) as ‘likely bacterial’ pneumonia. The presence of wheeze or runny nose, the absence of consolidation on chest radiograph and a neutrophil count Conclusion: Careful assessment of relevant clinical symptoms and signs can be used to guide rational antibiotic use and reduce unnecessary hospitalisation in Vietnam; further verification is required to establish safety.