Name: Duration of antibiotic therapy for hospital-acquired pneumonia and ventilator-associated pneumonia: a single-center, retrospective cohort study of five versus seven days of therapy
Start: 2026-05-15T11:20:00-0400
End: 2026-05-15T11:40:00-0400

Eastern States Conference for Pharmacy Residents and Preceptors

Duration of antibiotic therapy for hospital-acquired pneumonia and ventilator-associated pneumonia: a single-center, retrospective cohort study of five versus seven days of therapy

Friday May 15, 2026 11:20am - 11:40am EDT

Room 4

Title: Duration of antibiotic therapy for hospital-acquired pneumonia and ventilator-associated pneumonia: a single-center, retrospective cohort study of five versus seven days of therapy
Authors: Tejona Johnson-Moore, PharmD; Olubusola Fowowe, PharmD, BCIPD; Sarah Graziose, PharmD, BCPS, BCID
Learning Objective: Evaluate the impact of using a shorter versus standard antibiotic therapy for hospital-acquired and ventilator-associated pneumonia
Background/Objective: This study’s objective is to assess whether reducing the antibiotic treatment duration to 5 days yields similar clinical outcomes as 7 days of antibiotic therapy in patients with hospital-acquired pneumonia and ventilator-associated pneumonia.
Methods: This retrospective, single-center cohort study was conducted at a level one trauma and academic center and included patients diagnosed with hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP) or ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) between January 1, 2023, and August 31, 2025. The primary outcome was 30-day mortality, with secondary outcomes including recurrent pneumonia, in-hospital mortality, and adverse events. Secondary outcomes included recurrent pneumonia, in-hospital mortality, and 30-day all-cause mortality. Enrolled patients were adults at least 18 years old with a clinical diagnosis of hospital-acquired or ventilator-associated pneumonia who were receiving appropriate antibiotic therapy according to the micro-organism
Results: There were 144 patients that met the inclusion criteria. Among the 144 patients diagnosed with pneumonia, 119 had 7 days of antibiotic therapy, while 25 had 5 days. At 30 days, no difference in mortality was observed between the 5-day and 7-day therapy groups. However, non-inferiority could not be demonstrated. Findings were consistent across adjusted and sensitivity analyses.
Conclusion: According to the study’s findings, 5-day antibiotic therapy can’t be concluded to have similar clinical outcomes as patients on a 7-day regimen needed for hospital-associated pneumonia and ventilator-associated pneumonia. Using a shorter antibiotic course is a potential option for clinically improving individuals. However, it is not suggested that it should be in place of using a 7-day course for pneumonia eradication
Self-assessment Question: Based on this study’s results, which of the following represents the most appropriate clinical application for patients diagnosed with either HAP or VAP?
A. All patients diagnosed with HAP and VAP should be given 5 days of therapy
B. Continue the 7-day antibiotic therapy as the standard regimen, with consideration of using a 5-day treatment duration in patients demonstrating clear clinical improvement
C. Avoid using 5-day antibiotic regimens in patients diagnosed with either HAP or VAP

Moderators

Carolyn Orendorff

System Director of Clinical Pharmacy Services, ChristianaCare

Attended University of Maryland School of Pharmacy. Completed PGY1-PGY2 Pharmacotherapy Residency at The Johns Hopkins Hospital. Currently works as Director of Clinical Pharmacy at ChristianaCare.

Presenters