Impact of Antibiotics Used for Acute Aspiration Bronchitis on the Prevention of Pneumonia.

Backgrounds: It remains unclear if antibiotics should be used for the treatment of acute aspiration bronchitis to prevent the development of pneumonia. This study aimed to assess the associations between the use of antibiotics and the development of pneumonia among patients with acute aspiration bronchitis.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed consecutive patients with acute aspiration bronchitis aged ≥75 years. Acute aspiration bronchitis was defined as a condition with aspiration risk, high fever (body temperature, ≥37.5 °C), respiratory symptoms, and the absence of evidence of pneumonia.

Results: There was no significant difference in the incidence of pneumonia between patients treated with and without antibiotics for acute aspiration bronchitis (6/44, 14% vs. 31/143, 22%; p = 0.242). Lower estimated glomerular filtration rate (adjusted odds ratio, 0.956; 95% confidence interval, 0.920-0.993) was significantly associated with the development of pneumonia.

Conclusions: Antibiotic administration should not be routinely recommended to prevent pneumonia following acute aspiration bronchitis, and patients with decreased renal function should be closely monitored. A randomized controlled trial is necessary to validate these results.