Extended-Spectrum Antibiotics for Community-Acquired Pneumonia with a Low Risk of Drug-Resistant Pathogens

The potential hazards of extended-spectrum antibiotic therapy for patients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) with low risk of drug-resistant pathogens (DRPs) remains unclear, although risk assessment for DRPs is essential to determine the initial antibiotics to be administered. The study objective is to assess the effect of unnecessary extended-spectrum therapy on mortality of such patients.

Physicians should assess the risk of DRPs when determining the empirical antibiotic therapy and should refrain from administering unnecessary extended-spectrum antibiotics for patients with CAP with a low risk of DRPs.