Aims: to analyze the association of the interval between the onset of the symptoms and the start of the treatment with the involution of the radiographic shadows in presumed pneumococcal pneumonia.Methods: 134 children, 2-12 years, all of them with leukocytosis(higher than 15,000/mm3)and/or positive C-reactive protein and acute lobar/segmental pneumonia(ALSP). No prior antibiotic had been administered. All these children were treated with penicillin and the interval between the onset of symptoms and the drug administration was recorded. All patients get cured. Films were taken around the 7th and 14th days after the beginning of treatment and were interpreted blindly. Statistical analysis included the Chi-square test(significant level: p lower than .05).Results: no statistical difference was detected in total clearing when the children were treated before or after 24 hours of the onset of the symptoms, for films taken around the 7th and 14th days(p=.80 and p=.96, respectively).Conclusions: these results suggest that early treatment do not determine more rapid chest X-ray clearing in children with ALSP.
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