title: Amoxicillin/clavulanic acid 2000mg/125mg extended release (XR): a review of its use in the treatment of respiratory tract infections in adults.
abstract: Amoxicillin/clavulanic acid 2000mg/125mg extended release (Augmentin XR), referred to herein as amoxicillin/clavulanic acid XR, is a pharmacokinetically enhanced formulation designed to provide more effective therapy in adults and adolescents than conventional formulations against community-acquired respiratory tract pathogens, particularly Streptococcus pneumoniae, with reduced susceptibility to amoxicillin. Amoxicillin/clavulanic acid XR maintains plasma amoxicillin concentrations above 4 microg/mL for a mean of 49% of the dosing interval indicating that it would be highly effective against S. pneumoniae strains with minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) above the National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standard's amoxicillin +/- clavulanic acid susceptibility breakpoint of < or =2 microg/mL. Amoxicillin/clavulanic acid XR is at least as effective as conventional amoxicillin/clavulanic acid formulations, levofloxacin and clarithromycin in treating community-acquired pneumonia, acute bacterial sinusitis or acute exacerbations of chronic bronchitis, and has a tolerability profile comparable to that of conventional amoxicillin/clavulanic acid formulations. While the incidence of amoxicillin- or multidrug-resistant S. pneumoniae is not currently sufficient in most regions to warrant the routine empirical use of amoxicillin/clavulanic acid XR, the drug would be extremely useful in those regions with a high incidence of resistant pathogens or in selected patients (i.e. those with S. pneumoniae isolates having amoxicillin MICs > or =2 microg/mL but < or =4 microg/mL).
authors.affiliation: Adis International Limited, Auckland, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Paul L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: McCormack
authors.forename: Gillian M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Keating
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D019980:Amoxicillin-Potassium Clavulanate Combination / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism; D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D006801:Humans; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations; D019980:Amoxicillin-Potassium Clavulanate Combination