title: Role of gemifloxacin in the management of community-acquired lower respiratory tract infections.
abstract: Respiratory tract infections (RTIs) form a substantial clinical and financial burden, with the increasing complication of antimicrobial resistance. This resistance may compromise the use of many empirically prescribed antimicrobials. The new respiratory fluoroquinolones have been developed to overcome this burgeoning resistance. This group includes gemifloxacin, an enhanced-affinity fluoroquinolone that has been approved for clinical use in several countries and is characterised as a potent dual-acting agent with excellent in vitro activity against Streptococcus pneumoniae (minimum inhibitory concentration for 90% of strains (MIC90)=0.03-0.06 microg/mL). Gemifloxacin given once daily for 5-7 days has been shown to be non-inferior to, or in some instances superior to, comparator agents for the treatment of common lower RTIs. Moreover, it is generally well tolerated and is as safe as many frequently empirically prescribed antimicrobials. In addition, studies have shown gemifloxacin to be a cost-effective agent for some lower RTIs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Microbiology, Royal University Hospital and the Saskatoon Health Region, 103 Hospital Drive, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada S7N 0W8. joseph.blondeau@saskatoonhealthregion.ca
authors.forename: Joseph M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Blondeau
authors.forename: Glenn
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tillotson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000191:economics / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017714:Community-Acquired Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial; D024841:Fluoroquinolones / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000191:economics / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000077735:Gemifloxacin; D006801:Humans; D009287:Naphthyridines / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000191:economics / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D024841:Fluoroquinolones; D009287:Naphthyridines; D000077735:Gemifloxacin