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Pernica JM, Kam AJ, Eltorki M, Khan S, Goldfarb DM, Smaill F, Wong J, Ewusie J, Smieja M, Sung M, Mertz D, Thabane L, Loeb M. Novel care pathway to optimise antimicrobial prescribing for uncomplicated community-acquired pneumonia: study protocol for a prospective before-after cohort study in the emergency department of a tertiary care Canadian children's hospital. BMJ Open 2022; 12:e062360. [PMID: 36396301 PMCID: PMC9677018 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2022-062360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Evidence-based recommendations for paediatric community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) diagnosis and management are needed. Uncomplicated CAP is often caused by respiratory viruses, especially in younger children; these episodes self-resolve without antibiotic treatment. Unfortunately, there are no clinical criteria that reliably discriminate between viral and bacterial disease, and so the majority of children diagnosed with CAP are given antibiotics-even though these will often not help and may cause harm. We have developed a novel care pathway that incorporates point-of-care biomarkers, radiographic patterns, microbiological testing and targeted follow-up. The primary study objective is to determine if the care pathway will be associated with less antimicrobial prescribing. METHODS AND ANALYSIS A prospective, before-after, study. Previously well children aged≥6 months presenting to a paediatric emergency department (ED) that have at least one respiratory symptom/sign, receive chest radiography, and are diagnosed with CAP by the ED physician will be eligible. Those with medical comorbidities, recently diagnosed pulmonary infection, or ongoing fever after≥4 days of antimicrobial therapy will be excluded. In the control (before) phase, eligible participants will be managed as per the standard of care. In the intervention (after) phase, eligible participants will be managed as per the novel care pathway. The primary outcome will be the proportion of participants in each phase who receive antimicrobial treatment for CAP. The secondary outcomes include: clinical cure; re-presentation to the ED; hospitalisation; time to resolution of symptoms; drug adverse events; caregiver satisfaction; child absenteeism from daycare/school; and caregiver absenteeism from work. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION All study documentation has been approved by the Hamilton Integrated Research Ethics Board and informed consent will be obtained from all participants. Data from this study will be presented at major conferences and published in peer-reviewed publications to facilitate collaborations with networks of clinicians experienced in the dissemination of clinical guidelines. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER NCT05114161.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey M Pernica
- Department of Pediatrics, McMaster University Faculty of Health Sciences, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact, McMaster University Faculty of Health Sciences, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - April J Kam
- Department of Pediatrics, McMaster University Faculty of Health Sciences, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Mohamed Eltorki
- Department of Pediatrics, McMaster University Faculty of Health Sciences, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Sarah Khan
- Department of Pediatrics, McMaster University Faculty of Health Sciences, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - David M Goldfarb
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Fiona Smaill
- Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Jacqueline Wong
- Department of Pediatrics, McMaster University Faculty of Health Sciences, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Joycelyne Ewusie
- Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact, McMaster University Faculty of Health Sciences, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Marek Smieja
- Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact, McMaster University Faculty of Health Sciences, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Melani Sung
- Department of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Dominik Mertz
- Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact, McMaster University Faculty of Health Sciences, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Lehana Thabane
- Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact, McMaster University Faculty of Health Sciences, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Mark Loeb
- Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact, McMaster University Faculty of Health Sciences, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
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