Shorter Is Better for Antibiotic Treatment of Outpatient Community-Acquired Pneumonia in Children

Noninferiority trials have shown that 5-day courses of outpatient antibiotics for children with uncomplicated community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) compare well with 10-day courses. In this multisite U.S. randomized trial in 380 children (mean age, 3 years) with uncomplicated CAP, researchers recruited children during the first 5 days of outpatient treatment with amoxicillin, amoxicillin-clavulanate, or cefdinir. Participants then were randomized (with double blinding) to receive either 5 more days of the original antibiotic or placebo. Children were excluded if they had persistent fever, tachypnea (>50 breaths/minute for children <2 years or >40 breaths/minute for older children), or severe cough.

Patients were assessed with a composite outcom…