Oral pentoxifylline as a novel adjunct to standard therapy in pediatric community-acquired pneumonia: a randomized controlled trial
Abstract
BACKGROUND
Pneumonia remains a major cause of childhood illness and death globally, especially in low- and middle-income countries. Despite antibiotic therapy, persistent inflammation and lung injury may delay recovery. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of oral pentoxifylline (PTX), combined with standard antibiotic and supportive therapies, for treating hospitalized children with Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP).
METHODS
In this randomized controlled trial, 106 children with CAP were randomly assigned to receive either oral pentoxifylline plus standard antibiotic and supportive therapy (n = 53) or standard therapy alone (n = 53), per institutional guidelines. Treatment response was evaluated using predefined clinical criteria (respiratory rate and oxygen saturation), laboratory parameters (hemoglobin, WBC count, CRP, interleukin-6, LDH, D-dimer, serum albumin, and liver enzymes), and lung ultrasound findings, assessed at baseline and after 10 days of treatment.
RESULTS
The mean age of enrolled patients was 5.61 ± 3.31 years, and 45.3% were female. After 10 days, the PTX group demonstrated significantly lower respiratory rates (29.17 ± 4.38 vs. 34.02 ± 8.29 breaths/min; p < 0.001) and higher oxygen saturation (97.28 ± 1.32% vs. 96.26 ± 1.55%; p < 0.001) compared with controls. Laboratory improvements in the PTX group included higher hemoglobin and serum albumin and lower WBC count, AST, total bilirubin, CRP, LDH, IL-6, and D-dimer levels (all p < 0.05). Lung…
How strong is the evidence?
Evidence Hub reads this as a randomized trial, done in people. Its evidence level is 2 of 5 (High · randomized trial). Randomized trials of a reasonable size are the strongest single-study design. Reported size: 106 participants or records.
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