Determining by Consensus Lung Ultrasound Guidelines for the Management of Paediatric Pneumonia—Protocol for a Modified Delphi Survey

• DOI: 10.20944/preprints202407.2278.v1
• Publication Date: 2024-07-30T11:00:41Z
• Authors: Jacques Du Toit; Fabrizio Romano; Chris A. Rees; Cynthia A. Gravel; Mark Neuman; Kristina Keitel
• Keywords: Delphi Method

Introduction: Lower respiratory tract infections, including pneumonia, are one of the leading causes child mortality, especially in low-resource settings. Current guidelines rely on clinical signs for diagnosis, to over-prescription antibiotics, which turn contribute antimicrobial resistance. Lung point care ultrasound (L-POCUS) offers potential improve diagnostic accuracy and reduce unnecessary antibiotic use, but lacks standardized diagnosis management paediatric pneumonia. Methods Analysis: This study utilizes a modified Delphi process develop expert consensus L-POCUS interpretation pneumonia that would constitute framework effective judicious prescribing. The 5-stage iterative includes: i) creation literature summary conceptual framework, ii) first round online surveys feedback, iii) virtual meetings discuss survey results refine guidelines, iv) second surveys, v) final analysis development guidelines. A panel 12-15 experts, chosen their POCUS experience, geographic diversity, gender balance, will participate. Consensus be defined as ≥75% agreement. Ethics Dissemination: Participation is voluntary, with consent obtained at start option withdraw any time. protocol was approved by Commission Bern, Switzerland. Findings disseminated through open access publication.