title: Once-daily oral gatifloxacin vs three-times-daily co-amoxiclav in the treatment of patients with community-acquired pneumonia.
abstract: A double-blind, double-dummy, multicentre, multinational, parallel-group study was designed to establish proof of equivalence between oral gatifloxacin and oral co-amoxiclav in the treatment of 462 patients with mild-to-moderate community-acquired pneumonia. Eligible patients were randomised equally to either gatifloxacin 400 mg once-daily plus matching placebo for 5-10 days, or amoxycillin 500 mg + clavulanic acid 125 mg three-times-daily for 5-10 days. The primary efficacy endpoint was clinical response (clinical cure plus improvement) at the end of treatment. Overall, a successful clinical response was achieved in 86.8% of gatifloxacin-treated patients, compared with 81.6% of those receiving co-amoxiclav, while corresponding rates of bacteriological efficacy (eradication plus presumed eradication) were 83.1% and 78.7%, respectively. The safety and tolerability profile of gatifloxacin was comparable to that of co-amoxiclav, with adverse gastrointestinal events, e.g., diarrhoea and nausea, being the most common treatment-related adverse events in both groups. The study showed no evidence of gatifloxacin-induced phototoxicity, musculoskeletal disorders, or hepatic and renal problems. Overall, this study showed that gatifloxacin was equivalent clinically to a standard course of co-amoxiclav in patients with community-acquired pneumonia, and that gatifloxacin was safe and well-tolerated.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chest and Infectious Diseases, Hospital Heckeshorn, affil. Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany. haloheck@zedat.fu-berlin.de
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lode
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Magyar
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Muir
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Loos
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kleutgens
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D019980:Amoxicillin-Potassium Clavulanate Combination / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017714:Community-Acquired Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D024841:Fluoroquinolones / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000077734:Gatifloxacin; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018410:Pneumonia, Bacterial / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D024841:Fluoroquinolones; D019980:Amoxicillin-Potassium Clavulanate Combination; D000077734:Gatifloxacin