Lung ultrasound is acceptable diagnostic alternative to chest radiography in medical centers with appropriate clinical expertise
By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter
TUESDAY, Nov. 18, 2025 (HealthDay News) — In a clinical practice guideline issued by the American Thoracic Society and published online in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, recommendations are presented for the diagnosis and management of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in adults.
Barbara E. Jones, M.D., from the University of Utah and Veterans Affairs Healthcare System in Salt Lake City, and colleagues formulated clinical recommendations to address questions related to CAP, including diagnosis and treatment strategies for adults with CAP.
The authors suggest lung ultrasound as an acceptable diagnostic alternative to chest radiography in medical centers where appropriate clinical expertise exists for adults with suspected CAP. There is a suggestion not to prescribe empiric antibiotics for adult outpatients without comorbidities who have clinical and imaging evidence of CAP and a positive test result for a respiratory virus. Prescribing of empiric antibiotics is suggested for adult outpatients with comorbidities who have clinical and imaging evidence of CAP and who have a positive test result for a respiratory virus, and for adult inpatients with clinical and imaging evidence of nonsevere or severe CAP who have a positive test result for a respiratory virus. Less than five days (minimum of three days) of antibiotics are suggested rather than five or more days for adult outpatients with CAP who reach clinical stability and adult inpatients with nonsevere CAP who reach clinical stability. Five or more days of antibiotics are suggested rather than less than five days for adult inpatients with severe CAP who reach clinical stability. Systemic corticosteroids are not recommended for adult inpatients with nonsevere CAP, but are suggested for adult inpatients with severe CAP.
“This clinical practice guideline includes a very important table that provides a framework for individualization of the recommendations since most of them are conditional (without high-quality evidence),” Jones said in a statement.
One author disclosed ties to the pharmaceutical industry.
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