This protocol addresses adults admitted to hospital with nonsevere community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) who have no prior respiratory isolation of MRSA and no prior respiratory isolation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa — a population without the resistance risk factors that would alter empiric antibiotic selection.
Empiric antibiotic therapy involves either a combination regimen (a β-lactam agent together with a second antibiotic class) or, where appropriate, monotherapy with a respiratory agent. For patients with contraindications to certain antibiotic classes, a distinct combination pathway is also available. The specific agents, selection criteria, and the clinical stability thresholds that govern duration of therapy are provided in the full protocol.
Clinical stability is the defined endpoint guiding therapy duration and is typically achieved within the first 48 to 72 hours.
DOI: 10.1164/rccm.201908-1581ST
In inpatient adults with nonsevere CAP without risk factors for MRSA or P. aeruginosa (see Recommendation 11), we recommend the following empiric treatment regimens (in no order of preference) (Table 4):
Combination therapy with a b-lactam (ampicillin + sulbactam 1.5–3 g every 6 h, cefotaxime 1–2 g every 8 h, ceftriaxone 1–2 g daily, or ceftaroline 600 mg every 12 h) and a macrolide (azithromycin 500 mg daily or clarithromycin 500 mg twice daily) (strong recommendation, high quality of evidence), or monotherapy with a respiratory fluoroquinolone (levofloxacin 750 mg daily, moxifloxacin 400 mg daily) (strong recommendation, high quality of evidence).
A third option for adults with CAP who have contraindications to both macrolides and fluoroquinolones is: combination therapy with a b-lactam (ampicillin + sulbactam, cefotaxime, ceftaroline, or ceftriaxone, doses as above) and doxycycline 100 mg twice daily (conditional recommendation, low quality of evidence).
We recommend that the duration of antibiotic therapy should be guided by a validated measure of clinical stability (resolution of vital sign abnormalities [heart rate, respiratory rate, blood pressure, oxygen saturation, and temperature], ability to eat, and normal mentation), and antibiotic therapy should be continued until the patient achieves stability and for no less than a total of 5 days (strong recommendation, moderate quality of evidence).
As most patients will achieve clinical stability within the first 48 to 72 hours, a total duration of therapy of 5 days will be appropriate for most patients.
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