This was a randomized placebo controlled trial looking at 380 pediatric patients aged 6 months to 5 years who were diagnosed with nonsevere CAP and who showed early clinical improvement. On day 6, one patient group was switched to a placebo while the other group continued with the antibiotics.
In this small study population, 5 days of a penicillin based antibiotic had a similar clinical response and antibiotic associated adverse effect profile compared to a 10 day course. A 5 day course also reduced antibiotic exposure resistance compared to a 10 day course.
References
Williams DJ, Creech CB, Walter EB, Martin JM, Gerber JS, Newland JG, Howard L, Hofto ME, Staat MA, Oler RE, Tuyishimire B, Conrad TM, Lee MS, Ghazaryan V, Pettigrew MM, Fowler VG Jr, Chambers HF, Zaoutis TE, Evans S, Huskins WC; The DMID 14-0079 Study Team. Short- vs Standard-Course Outpatient Antibiotic Therapy for Community-Acquired Pneumonia in Children: The SCOUT-CAP Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Pediatr. 2022 Mar 1;176(3):253-261. doi: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2021.5547. PMID: 35040920; PMCID: PMC8767493.
