Utility of blood cultures in pediatric patients found to have pneumonia in the emergency department.

Abstract

To determine the prevalence of bacteremia in pediatric patients with radiographic evidence of pneumonia in whom blood cultures were obtained. We carried out a retrospective review of the radiology log of a tertiary care children's hospital to identify patients with radiographic evidence of pneumonia seen between August 1991 and July 1992. These patients were cross-referenced with the hospital laboratory information system, yielding results of any CBC or blood cultures. We found 939 patients with chest radiography findings consistent with pneumonia. Blood culturing was performed in 409 (44%). Eleven of these cultures (2.7%) grew pathogenic bacteria. Review of the medical records revealed no changes in clinical management made on the basis of the results of the blood cultures. Blood cultures are uncommonly positive in outpatients diagnosed with pneumonia.