Direct hospital cost# calculated by antibiotic treatment used during hospitalisation for children with a primary diagnosis of pneumonia or severe pneumonia
| Antibiotic treatment received | N (%) | Direct hospital cost (US$)* | ||
| Average cost/episode | Average cost/day | Total cost for the study cohort (%) | ||
| ‘Non-severe’ pneumonia | 2735 (94.0) | 96.7 | 12.9 | 266 475 (78.0) |
| Oral† antibiotic only | 2341 (85.6) | 78.9 | 12.3 | 184 705 (54.0) |
| Intravenous antibiotic only | 114 (4.2) | 237.3 | 18.3 | 27 052 (7.9) |
| Oral intravenous switch | 166 (6.1) | 245.8 | 16.8 | 40 803 (11.9) |
| Intravenous oral step down‡ | 56 (2.0) | 205.1 | 17.9 | 11 486 (3.4) |
| No antibiotic received | 58 (2.1) | 49.7 | 11.6 | 2883 (0.8) |
| ‘Severe’ pneumonia | 176 (6.0) | 429.6 | 20.3 | 75 610 (22.0) |
| Oral† antibiotic only | 19 (10.8) | 115.8 | 15.3 | 2200 (0.6) |
| Intravenous antibiotic only | 113 (64.2) | 493.4 | 20.6 | 55 754 (16.3) |
| Oral intravenous switch | 5 (2.8) | 1194.6 | 37.7 | 5973 (1.7) |
| Intravenous oral step down‡ | 39 (22.2) | 299.8 | 19.8 | 11 692 (3.4) |
*Including examination fee on admission, bed occupancy, investigations and procedures, drugs, oxygen supply, physical therapy and medical devices.
†Single or combination of oral antibiotics.
‡At least 1 day of oral antibiotic before hospital discharge.