Respiratory tract infections in pediatrics: difficult answers to simple questions

Abstract

I.V. Andreeva, O.U. Stetsyuk, O.A. Egorova Smolensk State Medical University, Smolensk, Russian Federation Despite modern highly-effective treatment and preventive tools available to physicians, respiratory tract infections (RTIs) are still the most common reason for referral to pediatricians. A myriad of papers are published every year, however, there is a growing concern over this issue. This paper responds to seemingly simple questions that, however, are often challenging and controversial for physicians and pediatricians. These questions are the use of antibiotics for acute RTIs to prevent bacterial complications, the impact of antibiotic resistance of respiratory pathogens (Streptococcus pyogenes, Streptococcus pneumoniae, and Haemophilus influenzae) on antibacterial treatment choice, current position of macrolides in the treatment for RTIs and ENT infections, the prescription of aminopenicillins and inhibitor-protected aminopenicillins in specific clinical situations, dosage regimens of amoxicillin and amoxicillin/clavulanic acid in pediatrics, the p osition of peroral third-generation cephalosporins in the treatment for RTIs, and optimal antibacterial treatment duration in children. Pediatricians often face these issues in routine clinical practice. Keywords: pediatrics, respiratory tract infections, acute respiratory disorders, antibiotics, antibiotic resistance. For citation: Andreeva I.V., Stetsyuk O.U., Egorova O.A. Respiratory tract infections in pediatrics: difficult answers to simple questions. Russian Journal of Woman and Child Health. 2020;3(2):105–111. DOI: 10.32364/2618-8430-2020-3-2-105-111.