International guidelines on tackling community-acquired pneumonia show major discrepancies between developed and developing countries

Abstract

Aim: The goal of this study was to compare the current guidelines on diagnosis and treatment of paediatric community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in developing and developed countries.

Methods: A literature search was performed consulting the Medline, Embase, Current Contents, National Guideline Clearinghouse and Cochrane database, from January 2000 to March 2013.

Results: Twelve guidelines were selected: six from developed countries and six from developing countries. Major discrepancies between the diagnosis and treatment approaches recommended by guidelines covering developing and developed countries were revealed. The search also highlighted differences between recommendations issued in similar settings.

Conclusion: The guidelines show wide variations and weak recommendations and further research is needed to improve clinical outcomes and make better use of resources.

Keywords: CAP; Children; Community-acquired pneumonia; Diagnosis; Paediatric guidelines.