Project description:BACKGROUND:Evidence regarding the appropriate duration of treatment with antibiotic agents in children with pneumonia in low-resource settings in Africa is lacking. METHODS:We conducted a double-blind, randomized, controlled, noninferiority trial in Lilongwe, Malawi, to determine whether treatment with amoxicillin for 3 days is less effective than treatment for 5 days in children with chest-indrawing pneumonia (cough lasting <14 days or difficulty breathing, along with visible indrawing of the chest wall with or without fast breathing for age). Children not infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) who were 2 to 59 months of age and had chest-indrawing pneumonia were randomly assigned to receive amoxicillin twice daily for either 3 days or 5 days. Children were followed for 14 days. The primary outcome was treatment failure by day 6; noninferiority of the 3-day regimen to the 5-day regimen would be shown if the percentage of children with treatment failure in the 3-day group was no more than 1.5 times that in the 5-day group. Prespecified secondary analyses included assessment of treatment failure or relapse by day 14. RESULTS:From March 29, 2016, to April 1, 2019, a total of 3000 children underwent randomization: 1497 children were assigned to the 3-day group, and 1503 to the 5-day group. Among children with day 6 data available, treatment failure had occurred in 5.9% in the 3-day group (85 of 1442 children) and in 5.2% (75 of 1456) in the 5-day group (adjusted difference, 0.7 percentage points; 95% confidence interval [CI], -0.9 to 2.4) - a result that satisfied the criterion for noninferiority of the 3-day regimen to the 5-day regimen. Among children with day 14 data available, 176 of 1411 children (12.5%) in the 3-day group and 154 of 1429 (10.8%) in the 5-day group had had treatment failure by day 6 or relapse by day 14 (between-group difference, 1.7 percentage points; 95% CI, -0.7 to 4.1). The percentage of children with serious adverse events was similar in the two groups (9.8% in the 3-day group and 8.8% in the 5-day group). CONCLUSIONS:In HIV-uninfected Malawian children, treatment with amoxicillin for chest-indrawing pneumonia for 3 days was noninferior to treatment for 5 days. (Funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation; ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT02678195.).
Project description:BackgroundChildren with comorbidities or danger signs are often excluded from trials evaluating pneumonia treatment.MethodsWe sought to investigate whether the percentage of children with chest-indrawing pneumonia cured at Day 14 was lower among those with HIV infection or exposure, malaria, moderate or severe acute malnutrition, or anemia enrolled in a prospective observational cohort study than among children without these comorbidities enrolled in a concurrent prospective randomized controlled trial evaluating duration of amoxicillin treatment in Lilongwe, Malawi.ResultsChildren with chest-indrawing pneumonia and comorbidities but without danger signs did not have statistically significant higher treatment failure rates by Day 6 than those in the chest-indrawing pneumonia clinical trial. However, children with chest-indrawing pneumonia and HIV infection or exposure, malaria, or moderate or severe acute malnutrition had higher rates of not being clinically cured at Day 14 when compared to children without these comorbidities (adjusted differences ranging from 7.7% to 17.0%). Furthermore, among children without danger signs at enrollment, but with HIV infection or HIV exposure or moderate or severe acute malnutrition, 12.5% and 15.6% respectively were not clinically cured at Day 14 even though they were without treatment failure by Day 6.ConclusionsMore intensive follow-up of children with chest-indrawing pneumonia and comorbidities who do not have danger signs may be beneficial.
Project description:BackgroundDue to high risk of mortality, children with comorbidities are typically excluded from trials evaluating pneumonia treatment. Understanding heterogeneity of outcomes among children with pneumonia and comorbidities is critical to ensuring appropriate treatment.MethodsWe explored whether the percentage of children with fast-breathing pneumonia cured at Day 14 was lower among those with selected comorbidities enrolled in a prospective observational study than among those enrolled in a concurrent randomized controlled trial evaluating treatment with amoxicillin in Lilongwe, Malawi.ResultsAmong 79 children with fast-breathing pneumonia in the prospective observational cohort, 57 (72.2%) had HIV infection/exposure, 20 (25.3%) had malaria, 2 (2.5%) had severe acute malnutrition, and 17 (21.5%) had anemia. Treatment failure rate was slightly (not significantly) lower in children with comorbidities (4.1%, 3/73) compared to those without comorbidities (4.5%, 25/552) similarly treated. There was no significant difference in clinical cure rates by Day 14 (95.8% with vs 96.7% without comorbidity).ConclusionsChildren with fast-breathing pneumonia excluded from a concurrent clinical trial due to comorbidities did not fare worse. Children at higher risk whose caregivers seek care early and who receive appropriate risk assessment (e.g., pulse oximetry, hemoglobin, HIV/malaria testing) and treatment, can achieve clinical cure by Day 14.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov NCT02960919 ; registered November 8, 2016.
Project description:Chest radiographs (CXRs) are frequently used to assess pneumonia cases. Variations in CXR appearances between epidemiological settings and their correlation with clinical signs are not well documented.The Pneumonia Etiology Research for Child Health project enrolled 4232 cases of hospitalized World Health Organization (WHO)-defined severe and very severe pneumonia from 9 sites in 7 countries (Bangladesh, the Gambia, Kenya, Mali, South Africa, Thailand, and Zambia). At admission, each case underwent a standardized assessment of clinical signs and pneumonia risk factors by trained health personnel, and a CXR was taken that was interpreted using the standardized WHO methodology. CXRs were categorized as abnormal (consolidation and/or other infiltrate), normal, or uninterpretable.CXRs were interpretable in 3587 (85%) cases, of which 1935 (54%) were abnormal (site range, 35%-64%). Cases with abnormal CXRs were more likely than those with normal CXRs to have hypoxemia (45% vs 26%), crackles (69% vs 62%), tachypnea (85% vs 80%), or fever (20% vs 16%) and less likely to have wheeze (30% vs 38%; all P < .05). CXR consolidation was associated with a higher case fatality ratio at 30-day follow-up (13.5%) compared to other infiltrate (4.7%) or normal (4.9%) CXRs.Clinically diagnosed pneumonia cases with abnormal CXRs were more likely to have signs typically associated with pneumonia. However, CXR-normal cases were common, and clinical signs considered indicative of pneumonia were present in substantial proportions of these cases. CXR-consolidation cases represent a group with an increased likelihood of death at 30 days post-discharge.
Project description:ImportancePneumonia is the leading infectious killer of children. Rigorous evidence supporting antibiotic treatment of children with nonsevere fast-breathing pneumonia in low-resource African settings is lacking.ObjectiveTo assess whether treatment with placebo for nonsevere fast-breathing pneumonia is substantively less effective than 3 days of treatment with amoxicillin.Design, setting, and participantsThis double-blind, 2-arm, randomized clinical noninferiority trial with follow-up of 14 days screened 1343 HIV-uninfected children aged 2 to 59 months with nonsevere fast-breathing pneumonia at outpatient departments of hospitals in Lilongwe, Malawi, Africa, between June 2016 and June 2017.InterventionsPlacebo or amoxicillin dispersible tablets administered twice daily for 3 days.Main outcomes and measuresThe primary end point was the proportion of children failing treatment by day 4 with a relative noninferiority margin of 1.5 times the failure rate in the amoxicillin group. Primary analyses were performed based on the intention-to-treat principle. Planned secondary analyses included treatment failure or relapse by day 14.ResultsIn total, 1126 children were randomized to 3 days of amoxicillin (n = 564) or placebo (n = 562) therapy. Baseline demographic and clinical characteristics were similar between the groups. For the entire study population, the mean (SD) age was 21.3 (15.1) months, and 601 (53.4%) were female. After an interim analysis, the data safety monitoring board stopped the study because children receiving amoxicillin had a 4.0% (22 of 552 with outcome data) treatment failure rate by day 4, whereas children receiving placebo had a 7.0% (38 of 543) treatment failure rate (adjusted relative risk, 1.78; 95% CI, 1.07%-2.97%; adjusted absolute difference, 3.0%; 95% CI, 0.4%-5.7%). Among children with known day 14 outcomes, 56 of 552 (10.1%) receiving amoxicillin and 64 of 543 (11.8%) receiving placebo had either treatment failure by day 4 or relapse by day 14 (relative risk, 1.16; 95% CI, 0.83%-1.63%; absolute difference, 1.6%; 95% CI, -2.1% to 5.4%). There were no deaths.Conclusions and relevanceIn HIV-uninfected children aged 2 to 59 months in a malaria-endemic region of Malawi, placebo treatment of nonsevere fast-breathing pneumonia was significantly inferior to treatment with amoxicillin. However, by day 4, approximately 93% of children receiving placebo were without treatment failure, and there was no significant difference between groups in treatment failure or relapse by day 14. The number of children with nonsevere fast-breathing pneumonia that needed amoxicillin treatment for 1 child to benefit was 33.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02760420.
Project description:As part of a randomised controlled trial of treatment with placebo versus 3 days of amoxicillin for nonsevere fast-breathing pneumonia among Malawian children aged 2-59 months, a subset of children was hospitalised for observation. We sought to characterise the progression of fast-breathing pneumonia among children undergoing repeat assessments to better understand which children do and do not deteriorate. Vital signs and physical examination findings, including respiratory rate, arterial oxygen saturation measured by pulse oximetry (SpO2 ), chest indrawing and temperature were assessed every 3 h for the duration of hospitalisation. Children were assessed for treatment failure during study visits on days 1, 2, 3 and 4. Hospital monitoring data from 436 children were included. While no children had SpO2 90-93% at baseline, 7.4% (16 of 215) of children receiving amoxicillin and 9.5% (21 of 221) receiving placebo developed SpO2 90-93% during monitoring. Similarly, no children had chest indrawing at enrolment, but 6.6% (14 of 215) in the amoxicillin group and 7.2% (16 of 221) in the placebo group went on to develop chest indrawing during hospitalisation. Repeat monitoring of children with fast-breathing pneumonia identified vital and physical examination signs not present at baseline, including SpO2 90-93% and chest indrawing. This information may support providers and policymakers in developing guidance for care of children with nonsevere pneumonia.
Project description:BackgroundThe aim of this meta-analysis was to evaluate the diagnostic value of lung ultrasound (LUS) in comparison to chest radiography (CXR) in children with pneumonia.MethodsComputer-based retrieval was performed on PubMed and EMBASE. Quality was evaluated according to the quality assessment of diagnostic accuracy studies-2, and Meta-Disc was adopted to perform meta-analysis. Heterogeneity was assessed using Q and I statistics. The pooled sensitivity, specificity, and diagnostic odds ratio (DOR) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) as the primary outcomes were calculated for each index test.ResultsTwenty two studies with a total of 2470 patients met the inclusion criteria. Our results showed that the pooled sensitivity, specificity, and DOR for children with pneumonia diagnosed by LUS were 0.95 (95% CI: 0.94 to 0.96), 0.90 (95% CI: 0.87 to 0.92), and 137.49 (95% CI: 60.21 to 313.98), respectively. The pooled sensitivity, specificity, and DOR for pediatric pneumonia diagnosed by CXR was 0.91 (95% CI: 0.90 to 0.93), 1.00 (95% CI: 0.99 to 1.00), and 369.66 (95% CI: 137.14 to 996.47), respectively. Four clinical signs, including pulmonary consolidation, positive air bronchogram, abnormal pleural line, and pleural effusion were most frequently observed using LUS in the screening of children with pneumonia.ConclusionsThe available evidence suggests that LUS is a reliable, valuable, and alternative method to CXR for the diagnosis of pediatric pneumonia.
Project description:Introduction:Pneumonia is the leading infectious killer of children. We conducted a double-blind, randomised controlled non-inferiority trial comparing placebo to amoxicillin treatment for fast breathing pneumonia in HIV-negative children aged 2-59 months in Malawi. Occurrence of serious adverse events (SAEs) during the trial were examined to assess disease progression, co-morbidities, recurrence of pneumonia and side effects of amoxicillin. Methods:Enrolled children with fast breathing for age and a history of cough <14 days or difficult breathing were randomised to either placebo or amoxicillin for 3 days, and followed for 14 days to track clinical characteristics and outcomes. Medical history, physical exam, laboratory results and any chest radiographs collected at screening, enrolment and during hospitalisation were evaluated. All SAE reports were reviewed for additional information regarding hospitalisation, course of treatment and outcome. Results:In total, 102/1126 (9.0%) enrolled children with fast breathing pneumonia were reported to have a SAE. Seventy-five per cent (n=77) of SAEs were pneumonia-related (p<0.01). Children<2 years of age represented the greatest proportion (61/77, 79.2%) of those with a pneumonia-related SAE. In the amoxicillin group, there were 46 SAEs and 5 (10.9%) cases were identified as possibly related to study drug (4 gastroenteritis and 1 fever). There were no life-threatening pneumonia SAEs or deaths in either group, and by the time of exit from the study, all children recovered without sequelae. Discussion:In this fast breathing pneumonia clinical trial, SAEs occurred infrequently in both the amoxicillin and placebo groups, and amoxicillin was well tolerated. Trial registration number:NCT02760420. https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02760420?term=ginsburg&rank=9.
Project description:BackgroundPneumonia is the leading infectious cause of death in children under 5 years of age around the globe. In addition to preventing pneumonia, there is a critical need to provide greater access to appropriate and effective treatment. Studies in Asia have evaluated the effectiveness of 3 days of oral amoxicillin for the treatment of fast-breathing pneumonia; however, further evidence is needed to determine if 3 days of oral amoxicillin is also effective for the treatment of chest indrawing pneumonia.MethodsThis is a double-blind, randomized, non-inferiority trial with the objective to assess the effectiveness of shorter duration amoxicillin dispersible tablet (DT) treatment of chest indrawing childhood pneumonia in a malaria-endemic region of Malawi. The primary objective of this study is to determine whether 3 days of treatment with oral amoxicillin DT in HIV-uninfected Malawian children two to 59 months of age with chest indrawing pneumonia is as effective as 5 days of treatment. The study will enroll 2000 children presenting to Kamuzu Central or Bwaila District Hospitals in Lilongwe, Malawi. Each child will be randomized to either 3 days of amoxicillin DT followed by 2 days of placebo DT or 5 days of amoxicillin DT. Children in the study will be hospitalized for 48 h after enrollment and will have scheduled study visits at Days 2, 4, 6 and 14. Treatment failure by Day 6 is the primary outcome. We hypothesize that the rates of treatment failure will be similar in both arms and that 3 days of treatment will be non-inferior to 5 days of amoxicillin DT for chest indrawing pneumonia using a relative non-inferiority margin of 1.5. This trial was approved by the Western Institutional Review Board and Malawi College of Medicine Research and Ethics Committee.DiscussionGiven the paucity of data from Africa, African-based research is necessary to establish appropriate duration of treatment with amoxicillin DT for chest indrawing childhood pneumonia in malaria-endemic settings in the region. An expanded evidence base will contribute to future iterations of World Health Organization Integrated Management of Childhood Illness guidelines.Trial registrationNCT02678195 : Pre-results. Date registered February 9, 2016.
Project description:We aimed to compare the clinical data at first presentation to inpatient treatment of children (<14 years) vs. adolescents (≥14 years) with anorexia nervosa (AN), focusing on duration of illness before hospital admission and body mass index (BMI) at admission and discharge, proven predictors of the outcomes of adolescent AN. Clinical data at first admission and at discharge in 289 inpatients with AN (children: n = 72; adolescents: n = 217) from a German multicenter, web-based registry for consecutively enrolled patients with childhood and adolescent AN were analyzed. Inclusion criteria were a maximum age of 18 years, first inpatient treatment due to AN, and a BMI <10th BMI percentile at admission. Compared to adolescents, children with AN had a shorter duration of illness before admission (median: 6.0 months vs. 8.0 months, p = 0.004) and higher BMI percentiles at admission (median: 0.7 vs. 0.2, p = 0.004) as well as at discharge (median: 19.3 vs. 15.1, p = 0.011). Thus, in our study, children with AN exhibited clinical characteristics that have been associated with better outcomes, including higher admission and discharge BMI percentile. Future studies should examine whether these factors are actually associated with positive long-term outcomes in children.