title: Cefuroxime efficacy in pneumonia: sequential short-course i.v./oral suspension therapy.
abstract: For children with acute respiratory infections in hospital, it is desirable to transfer from parenteral to oral therapy at the earliest opportunity. The introduction of a pediatric suspension of cefuroxime axetil provides a continuous course of one antibiotic with transition from injectable to oral therapy. This open study was designed to investigate the efficacy of cefuroxime in pediatric patients aged 3 months to 5 years with community-acquired pneumonia. Children had evidence of lobar pneumonia on chest X-ray, a white blood cell count of > 15,000/mm3 and a rectal temperature of > or = 38.5 degrees C on enrollment. Cefuroxime was given by i.v. injection at 75 mg/kg per day in three divided doses for 48-72 h followed by oral cefuroxime suspension at 30 mg/kg per day in two divided doses. Of 84 evaluable patients 82 (97.6%) were cured or improved post-treatment, and of 74 evaluable children who returned for follow-up assessment 73 (98.6%) remained well. Oral therapy with twice daily cefuroxime axetil suspension following 2-3 days of i.v. cefuroxime administration was confirmed as effective and safe treatment for lobar pneumonia in children under 5 years of age.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center (Ichilov Hospital), Israel.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Shalit
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Dagan
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Engelhard
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ephros
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Cuningham
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000284:Administration, Oral; D002444:Cefuroxime / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D017714:Community-Acquired Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008297:Male; D011018:Pneumonia, Pneumococcal / Q000097:blood / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011859:Radiography; D013535:Suspensions; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D013535:Suspensions; D002444:Cefuroxime