Clinical Features, Microbiological Characteristics, and Antibiotic Use in the Treatment of Community-Acquired Pneumonia in Ninh Binh Obstetrics and Pediatrics Hospital

Abstract

Background: To analyze the clinical and microbiological characteristics as well as antibiotic usage in the treatment of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in pediatric patients at Ninh Binh Obstetrics and Pediatrics Hospital discharged between January 1, 2022, and November 30, 2022. Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study using retrospective medical record data. Results: A total of 199 hospitalized children were included, with infants aged 2–<12 months accounting for 59.8% of cases. Severe pneumonia was observed in 39.7% of patients. The rate of bacterial culture testing was low (37.7%), with a positive rate of 25.3%. The most common pathogens identified were Streptococcus pneumoniae (31.6%), Haemophilus influenzae (21.1%), and Moraxella catarrhalis (21.1%). The most frequently used antibiotics were third-generation cephalosporins (29.4%), macrolides (26.5%), and penicillins (26.2%). Empirical combination therapy was used in 11.5% of cases, and 28.6% of patients required antibiotic regimen adjustments. Conclusion: Third-generation cephalosporins were the most prescribed antibiotics. Over one-third of hospitalized patients had severe pneumonia, while the bacterial culture testing rate remained low (37.7%). These findings indicate a need to enhance microbiological testing and strengthen antibiotic stewardship to optimize treatment outcomes.