Extended anaerobic coverage in aspiration pneumonia not associated with additional mortality benefit: Study
Aspiration pneumonia, a serious condition resulting from the inhalation of oral or gastric contents into the lungs, often requires antibiotic treatment. However, the optimal choice of antibiotics, particularly regarding anaerobic coverage, remains debated.
A recent study aimed to compare outcomes between antibiotic therapy with limited anaerobic coverage (LAC) versus extended anaerobic coverage (EAC) in patients with community-acquired aspiration pneumonia. This study was published in the journal Chest by Anthony D Bai and colleagues. Current guidelines do not recommend extended anaerobic coverage for aspiration pneumonia, yet it is still commonly prescribed.
A multicenter retrospective cohort study across 18 hospitals in Ontario, Canada, analyzed data from 3,999 patients diagnosed with community-acquired aspiration pneumonia between 2015 and 2022. Patients were categorized into LAC or EAC groups based on the antibiotics prescribed within 48 hours of admission. The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality, with Clostridioides difficile colitis incidence as a secondary outcome. Propensity score weighting was used to balance baseline factors between the two groups.
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