Finnish guidelines for the treatment of community-acquired pneumonia and pertussis in children.
Evidence-based guidelines are needed to harmonise and improve the diagnostics and treatment of children's lower respiratory tract infections. Following a professional literature search, an interdisciplinary working group evaluated and graded the available evidence and constructed guidelines for the treatment of community-acquired pneumonia and pertussis.


CONCLUSIONS
The clinical guidelines state that chest radiography is not needed if the child is diagnosed with pneumonia and treated at home. Complications should be considered if there is no improvement after antimicrobial therapy and a paroxysmal cough can indicate pertussis, which is life-threatening in unvaccinated infants and can lead to respiratory failure.
Department of Pediatrics and Adolescence, Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland.|PEDEGO Research Unit - Research Unit for Pediatrics, Dermatology, Clinical Genetics Obstetrics and Gynecology, and Medical Research Center, University of Oulu, Finland.
Terhi
T
Tapiainen
Fimlab Laboratories, Tampere, Finland.
Janne
J
Aittoniemi
Terveystalo Pediatric Clinic, Kuopio, Finland.
Johanna
J
Immonen
Department of Pediatrics, University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland.
Heli
H
Jylkkä
Department of Internal Medicine, Tampere University Hospital and the Finnish Medical Society Duodecim, Tampere, Finland.
Tuula
T
Meinander
Seinäjoki Central Hospital, Seinäjoki, Finland.
Kirsi
K
Nuolivirta
Department of Pediatrics, Turku University Hospital and University of Turku, Turku, Finland.
Ville
V
Peltola
Department of Pediatrics, Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland.
Eeva
E
Salo
HUS Imaging, Children's Hospital, Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland.
Raija
R
Seuri
Espoonlahti Health Care Center, Espoo, Finland.
Satu-Maaria
SM
Walle
Department of Pediatrics, Tampere University Hospital and University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland.
Matti
M
Korppi
D002648:Child; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D017714:Community-Acquired Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D005387:Finland; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D011014:Pneumonia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D014917:Whooping Cough / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*
Antimicrobial resistance; Empyema; Pneumococcal vaccine; Pneumonia; Whooping cough