Decreased Lumbar Puncture Utilization Following Implementation of Febrile Infant Guidelines in a Pediatric ED

Implementation of the 2021 AAP guidelines was associated with reduced LPs, hospitalizations, and antibiotic use in infants aged 22 to 60 days, with the greatest impact in the 22- to 28-day subgroup. These guidelines improve risk stratification and reduce invasive interventions while maintaining safe care. While the small sample size limits generalizability, these findings suggest a positive shift in clinical practice.