Chicago’s Lurie Children's Hospital secures $12M to study antibiotic use in treating pediatric pneumonia

CHICAGO - Antibiotic resistance is a growing concern in the U.S., particularly when it comes to treating pediatric pneumonia. 

Doctors are now questioning whether antibiotics should be used at all for this condition.

Chicago’s Lurie Children's Hospital, in collaboration with the University of Utah Health, has been awarded $12 million to investigate this issue. Their study will compare two methods of using antibiotics for treating pneumonia in children.

The first method follows the current practice of prescribing and administering antibiotics immediately. The second method involves prescribing antibiotics but delaying their use until symptoms worsen.

Most cases of pediatric pneumonia are caused by viruses, which typically resolve without antibiotics. However, antibiotics are often given as a precaution against bacterial infections, which may not always be necessary and can have negative effects.

"When you think about the millions of children that are diagnosed with pneumonia in the United States each year and the millions of days of antibiotics that those children receive, often times unnecessarily, you can see how the return on investment in the long run for children's health is really in the positive," said Dr. Todd Florin, Associate Professor at Lurie Children's.

The research team will collaborate with 12 pediatric care offices to gather data over the next five years.