title: A study evaluating the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of ertapenem versus ceftriaxone for the treatment of community-acquired pneumonia in adults.
abstract: In a double-blind, multicenter trial, 502 patients hospitalized with community-acquired pneumonia were randomized to receive therapy with either ertapenem or ceftriaxone (for each, 1 g given intravenously once daily). After a minimum of 3 days, therapy could be switched to oral amoxicillin-clavulanate. The median duration of intravenously administered therapy for the 383 clinically evaluable patients was 4 days for both treatment groups; 345 patients (90.1%) had their treatment switched to orally administered therapy. Of the clinically evaluable patients, 168 (92.3%) in the ertapenem group and 183 (91.0%) in the ceftriaxone group had a favorable clinical response. Streptococcus pneumoniae was the most commonly isolated pathogen, and high cure rates were observed both for penicillin-susceptible and -nonsusceptible infections in the ertapenem group (28 [87.5%] of 32 patients versus 17 [100%] of 17 patients, respectively). Both treatment regimens were generally well tolerated; the most common drug-related adverse events reported were diarrhea (2.9% versus 2.7%) and nausea (0.8% versus 2.0%) in the ertapenem and ceftriaxone groups, respectively. These results suggest that ertapenem and ceftriaxone therapy have similar efficacy and safety in hospitalized patients with community-acquired pneumonia.
authors.affiliation: Hospital Santa Clara, Bogota, Colombia.
authors.forename: Guillermo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ortiz-Ruiz
authors.forename: Jose
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Caballero-Lopez
authors.forename: Ian R
authors.initials: IR
authors.lastname: Friedland
authors.forename: Gail L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Woods
authors.forename: Alexandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Carides
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002443:Ceftriaxone / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002511:Cephalosporins / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017714:Community-Acquired Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004361:Drug Tolerance; D000077727:Ertapenem; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007769:Lactams; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018410:Pneumonia, Bacterial / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D047090:beta-Lactams
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D002511:Cephalosporins; D007769:Lactams; D047090:beta-Lactams; D002443:Ceftriaxone; D000077727:Ertapenem