Research Roundup: Antibiotic Use, Medical Device Approval, And Skin Infections

American Academy Of Pediatrics: Antibiotic Use And Outcomes In Children In The Emergency Department With Suspected Pneumonia
Antibiotic therapy is often prescribed for suspected community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in children despite a lack of knowledge of causative pathogen. Our objective in this study was to investigate the association between antibiotic prescription and treatment failure in children with suspected CAP who are discharged from the hospital emergency department (ED). (Lipshaw et al, 4/1)

CIDRAP: Review Supports Oral Step-Down Antibiotics For Heart Infections
A review of published research going back nearly 70 years suggests oral antibiotic step-down therapy is at least as effective as intravenous (IV)-only antibiotics for treating infective endocarditis (IE), US researchers reported today in JAMA Internal Medicine. The review identified 21 observational or quasi-experimental studies and three randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that focused on the effectiveness of antibiotics administered orally for part of the therapeutic course in patients with IE. (3/30)

JAMA Internal Medicine: Comparison Of Priority Vs Standard US Food And Drug Administration Premarket Approval Review For High-Risk Medical Devices 
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires that high-risk (class III) medical devices undergo premarket approval (PMA) review, the most stringent path through which devices enter the market. Since 1994, in an effort to enable breakthrough technology to reach market faster, the FDA has also offered priority review. There is a paucity of data on the speed and effectiveness of regulatory review in these expedited pathways. We compared priority vs standard PMA review with regard to review times, device recalls, and adverse events. (Ong et al, 3/30)

CIDRAP: Study Ties Kids’ MRSA Skin Infections To Household Colonization
A study of 150 households has found that recurrent methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus skin and other soft-tissue infections (MRSA SSTIs) may be associated with persistent MRSA colonization of household members and contamination of environmental surfaces, US researchers reported yesterday in JAMA Pediatrics. (3/31)

CNN: Men With Erectile Dysfunction May Face A Higher Risk Of Heart Disease And Early Death, Study Says 
Erectile dysfunction isn’t just an issue in the bedroom. It could also be an indication of a man’s risk for heart disease and early death. And this holds true, a new study says, regardless of a man’s testosterone levels. Erectile dysfunction is defined as the inability to get or maintain an erection long enough to have sex, and it’s a common condition affecting nearly 30 million American men, according to Harvard Medical School. (Rogers, 3/31)