A recent study from Johns Hopkins Children’s Center examined endotracheal aspirate culture (EAC) testing in pediatric patients in the intensive care unit (ICU). The study aims to help clinicians decide which patients to test, reducing unnecessary testing and antibiotics.

According to a Johns Hopkins press release, EAC culture testing guidance is limited, and unnecessary testing can lead to antibiotic overuse, more antibiotic-resistant infections, and avoidable costs.

The new study findings suggest that it may be safe to only test certain patients. The researchers analyzed data from 15 pediatric ICUs in the U.S., building on previous Johns Hopkins findings supporting PICU culture reduction. The new study examined EAC frequency in children on ventilation and clinical and safety outcomes. Algorithms and checklists were utilized to determine if testing was necessary based on respiratory signs and symptoms. The researchers found that guidelines helped reduce EAC testing by 16% in all participating hospitals, with “no significant changes in the prescribing of antibiotics or other measures, including duration that the patients remained on ventilation, length of hospital stay and readmissions.”