Children's Hospital Colorado

Community Acquired Pneumonia (CAP), Uncomplicated Clinical Pathway

Community acquired pneumonia (CAP) refers to an acute lower respiratory tract infection acquired outside the hospital. The infectious etiology of CAP can be viral or bacterial (both typical and atypical). In pediatric patients, viral infection is the most common cause of CAP.

Uncomplicated CAP means the patient does not have evidence of pleural effusion or empyema, pneumothorax, lung abscess, bronchopleural fistula or necrotizing pneumonia.

This pathway aims to provide evidence-based guidance for the diagnosis and treatment of uncomplicated CAP in outpatient, emergency, and inpatient settings. In doing so, it may also:

  • Help standardize antibiotic prescribing practices for uncomplicated CAP
  • Promote diagnostic and antimicrobial stewardship in the care of patients with lower respiratory tract infections

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Community Acquired Pneumonia (CAP), Uncomplicated

About our community acquired pneumonia (CAP), uncomplicated clinical pathway

A multidisciplinary team of clinicians at Children’s Colorado developed this pathway through consensus guided by the scientific literature. This multidisciplinary team included:

  • physicians, advanced practitioners and nurses
  • pharmacists
  • respiratory therapists
  • scientists
  • process improvement specialists
  • trainees

They represented specialties including, but not limited to:

  • Hospital medicine/acute care general pediatrics
  • General pediatrics/outpatient pediatrics
  • Emergency medicine
  • Infectious diseases
  • Pulmonology
  • Antimicrobial stewardship