{"title":"A Promising Candidate in the Treatment of Children with Bronchopneumonia: Erythromycin Plus PIP/TAZ.","authors":"Ting Kong, Jia Wang, Chunbao Chen","doi":"","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>To investigate the efficacy of piperacillin-tazobactam (PIP/TAZ) versus PIP/TAZ plus erythromycin in the treatment of children with bronchopneumonia, and to evaluate the influence of these treatments on inflammatory factors and intestinal flora. Assessing the impact on these parameters is crucial to provide a comprehensive understanding of the treatment effects.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A total of 120 children with bronchial pneumonia who were treated in Yichang Central People's Hospital from April 2018 to April 2020 were randomized (1:1) either into the control group or the observation group. The control group was given PIP/TAZ treatment. The observation group was additionally treated with erythromycin on the basis of the control group. The clinical efficacy, disappearance time of main symptoms and signs, inflammatory factors, and intestinal flora before and after treatment were compared between the two groups.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The treatment with PIP/TAZ plus erythromycin led to a significantly higher total clinical effective rate versus PIP/TAZ alone (P < .05). PIP/TAZ plus erythromycin resulted in a shorter time taken for the disappearance of fever, cough, and pulmonary rales versus PIP/TAZ alone (P < .05). These findings suggest that the combination regimen was more effective at resolving the key clinical symptoms of bronchopneumonia in children, which is important for improving patient outcomes and reducing the duration of illness. Patients given PIP/TAZ plus erythromycin experienced lower serum levels of the inflammatory markers CRP, TNF-α, and IL-8 as compared with patients given PIP/TAZ alone (P < .05). The reduction in these inflammatory factors indicates that the addition of erythromycin may have provided greater anti-inflammatory benefits beyond the antimicrobial effects of PIP/TAZ alone. Modulating the inflammatory response is clinically significant, as excessive inflammation can contribute to lung damage and disease severity in pneumonia. Conversely, the observation group showed a higher incidence of gastrointestinal disturbances, including increased stool frequency, watery stools, and elevated stool white blood cell counts after treatment (P < .05), suggesting that the erythromycin component may have disrupted the balance of intestinal flora. Maintaining a healthy gut microbiome is important for overall health, immunity, and preventing further complications. The clinical significance of this finding is that the addition of erythromycin to the treatment regimen may have unintended adverse effects on the gut that should be carefully monitored.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>PIP/TAZ plus erythromycin might be a promising candidate in the treatment of children with bronchopneumonia by significantly improving clinical outcomes, shortening the duration of key symptoms, and regulating the level of inflammatory factors. These findings suggest the combination regimen could provide greater clinical benefits compared to PIP/TAZ alone for managing pediatric bronchopneumonia. However, the addition of erythromycin also appeared to aggravate the imbalance of intestinal flora, as evidenced by the increased incidence of gastrointestinal disturbances. Maintaining a healthy gut microbiome is crucial for overall health and immunity in growing children. Therefore, clinicians must carefully weigh the potential benefits of improved antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory effects against the potential risks of disrupting the delicate gut ecosystem when considering the use of antibiotic combinations for pediatric patients. In conclusion, PIP/TAZ plus erythromycin may be a viable treatment option for children with bronchopneumonia, but clinicians should monitor for any unintended impacts on the gut flora and be prepared to make adjustments to the regimen if necessary. Careful consideration of the balance between therapeutic efficacy and preserving intestinal health is essential when prescribing antibiotic combinations, especially in the pediatric population.</p>","PeriodicalId":7571,"journal":{"name":"Alternative therapies in health and medicine","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.9000,"publicationDate":"2024-07-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Alternative therapies in health and medicine","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"","RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q3","JCRName":"INTEGRATIVE & COMPLEMENTARY MEDICINE","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Objective: To investigate the efficacy of piperacillin-tazobactam (PIP/TAZ) versus PIP/TAZ plus erythromycin in the treatment of children with bronchopneumonia, and to evaluate the influence of these treatments on inflammatory factors and intestinal flora. Assessing the impact on these parameters is crucial to provide a comprehensive understanding of the treatment effects.
Methods: A total of 120 children with bronchial pneumonia who were treated in Yichang Central People's Hospital from April 2018 to April 2020 were randomized (1:1) either into the control group or the observation group. The control group was given PIP/TAZ treatment. The observation group was additionally treated with erythromycin on the basis of the control group. The clinical efficacy, disappearance time of main symptoms and signs, inflammatory factors, and intestinal flora before and after treatment were compared between the two groups.
Results: The treatment with PIP/TAZ plus erythromycin led to a significantly higher total clinical effective rate versus PIP/TAZ alone (P < .05). PIP/TAZ plus erythromycin resulted in a shorter time taken for the disappearance of fever, cough, and pulmonary rales versus PIP/TAZ alone (P < .05). These findings suggest that the combination regimen was more effective at resolving the key clinical symptoms of bronchopneumonia in children, which is important for improving patient outcomes and reducing the duration of illness. Patients given PIP/TAZ plus erythromycin experienced lower serum levels of the inflammatory markers CRP, TNF-α, and IL-8 as compared with patients given PIP/TAZ alone (P < .05). The reduction in these inflammatory factors indicates that the addition of erythromycin may have provided greater anti-inflammatory benefits beyond the antimicrobial effects of PIP/TAZ alone. Modulating the inflammatory response is clinically significant, as excessive inflammation can contribute to lung damage and disease severity in pneumonia. Conversely, the observation group showed a higher incidence of gastrointestinal disturbances, including increased stool frequency, watery stools, and elevated stool white blood cell counts after treatment (P < .05), suggesting that the erythromycin component may have disrupted the balance of intestinal flora. Maintaining a healthy gut microbiome is important for overall health, immunity, and preventing further complications. The clinical significance of this finding is that the addition of erythromycin to the treatment regimen may have unintended adverse effects on the gut that should be carefully monitored.
Conclusion: PIP/TAZ plus erythromycin might be a promising candidate in the treatment of children with bronchopneumonia by significantly improving clinical outcomes, shortening the duration of key symptoms, and regulating the level of inflammatory factors. These findings suggest the combination regimen could provide greater clinical benefits compared to PIP/TAZ alone for managing pediatric bronchopneumonia. However, the addition of erythromycin also appeared to aggravate the imbalance of intestinal flora, as evidenced by the increased incidence of gastrointestinal disturbances. Maintaining a healthy gut microbiome is crucial for overall health and immunity in growing children. Therefore, clinicians must carefully weigh the potential benefits of improved antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory effects against the potential risks of disrupting the delicate gut ecosystem when considering the use of antibiotic combinations for pediatric patients. In conclusion, PIP/TAZ plus erythromycin may be a viable treatment option for children with bronchopneumonia, but clinicians should monitor for any unintended impacts on the gut flora and be prepared to make adjustments to the regimen if necessary. Careful consideration of the balance between therapeutic efficacy and preserving intestinal health is essential when prescribing antibiotic combinations, especially in the pediatric population.
期刊介绍:
Launched in 1995, Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine has a mission to promote the art and science of integrative medicine and a responsibility to improve public health. We strive to maintain the highest standards of ethical medical journalism independent of special interests that is timely, accurate, and a pleasure to read. We publish original, peer-reviewed scientific articles that provide health care providers with continuing education to promote health, prevent illness, and treat disease. Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine was the first journal in this field to be indexed in the National Library of Medicine. In 2006, 2007, and 2008, ATHM had the highest impact factor ranking of any independently published peer-reviewed CAM journal in the United States—meaning that its research articles were cited more frequently than any other journal’s in the field.
Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine does not endorse any particular system or method but promotes the evaluation and appropriate use of all effective therapeutic approaches. Each issue contains a variety of disciplined inquiry methods, from case reports to original scientific research to systematic reviews. The editors encourage the integration of evidence-based emerging therapies with conventional medical practices by licensed health care providers in a way that promotes a comprehensive approach to health care that is focused on wellness, prevention, and healing. Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine hopes to inform all licensed health care practitioners about developments in fields other than their own and to foster an ongoing debate about the scientific, clinical, historical, legal, political, and cultural issues that affect all of health care.