Assessment of the palatability of beta-lactamase-resistant antibiotics in children.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the palatability of antibiotics effective against beta-lactamase-producing bacteria in children and to compare the results obtained with those obtained in adults.


METHODS
A taste test of 4 antibiotic suspensions: a combination of amoxicillin and clavulanic acid (banana), azithromycin (cherry), clarithromycin (wild fruit), and a combination of erythromycin and sulfisoxazole (strawberry-banana).


METHODS
Outpatient setting.


METHODS
A volunteer sample of 50 healthy children (mean +/- SD age, 6.3 +/- 1.3 years) and 20 adults.


METHODS
After each antibiotic test dose, subjects rated its taste on a 10-cm visual analog scale incorporating a facial hedonic scale.


RESULTS
The mean +/- SD taste scores of the antibiotics as rated by the children were as follows: amoxicillin-clavulanic acid, 5.7 +/- 3.6 cm; azithromycin, 6.8 +/- 3.2 cm; clarithromycin, 3.7 +/- 3.6 cm; and erythromycin-sulfisoxazole, 4.9 +/- 3.5 cm. The mean +/- SD taste score for erythromycin-sulfisoxazole (ie, 2.7 +/- 2.3) assigned by the adults was significantly different than that given by the children (P = .01) with no difference noted for the other 3 drugs. Children and adults both selected azithromycin most often as best tasting. There was a significant difference in the proportions selecting each antibiotic as worst tasting, with the children tending to dislike clarithromycin and the adults tending to dislike erythromycin-sulfisoxazole (P = .03).


CONCLUSIONS
The taste of azithromycin was rated most highly by both children and adults, who also selected this antibiotic most often as best tasting. Differences in taste-testing results between children and adults suggest that evaluation of the palatability of medications intended for use in pediatrics should be conducted in children.
Matsui
D
D
Department of Paediatrics, University of Western Ontario, Children's Hospital of Western Ontario, London.
Lim
R
R
Tschen
T
T
Rieder
M J
MJ
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013649:Taste; D047090:beta-Lactams
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D047090:beta-Lactams