title: Randomized trial of oral versus sequential IV/oral antibiotic for acute pyelonephritis in children.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To confirm whether oral antibiotic treatment is as efficacious as sequential intravenous/oral antibiotic treatment in the prevention of renal scarring in children with acute pyelonephritis and scintigraphy-documented acute lesions.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a prospective multicenter trial, children aged 1 to 36 months with their first case of acute pyelonephritis, a serum procalcitonin concentration ≥0.5 ng/mL, no known uropathy, and a normal ultrasound exam were randomized into 2 treatment groups. They received either oral cefixime for 10 days or intravenous ceftriaxone for 4 days followed by oral cefixime for 6 days. Patients with acute renal lesions detected on early dimercaptosuccinic acid scintigraphy underwent a follow-up scintigraphy 6 to 8 months later.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The study included 171 infants and children. There were no significant differences between the 2 groups in any clinical characteristic. Initial scintigraphy results were abnormal for 119 children. Ninety-six children were measured for renal scarring at the follow-up scintigraphy (per protocol analysis population). The incidence of renal scarring was 30.8% in the oral treatment group and 27.3% for children who received the sequential treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although this trial does not statistically demonstrate the noninferiority of oral treatment compared with the sequential treatment, our study confirmed the results of previously published reports and therefore supports the use of an oral antibiotic treatment of primary episodes of acute pyelonephritis in infants and young children.
authors.affiliation: Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Hôpital Necker Enfants Malades, France.
authors.forename: Nathalie
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bocquet
authors.forename: Aline
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sergent Alaoui
authors.forename: Jean-Pierre
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Jais
authors.forename: Vincent
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Gajdos
authors.forename: Vincent
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Guigonis
authors.forename: Bernard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lacour
authors.forename: Gérard
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Chéron
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000284:Administration, Oral; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D002116:Calcitonin / Q000097:blood; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide; D020682:Cefixime / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D002443:Ceftriaxone / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000097:blood; D011704:Pyelonephritis / Q000097:blood / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; C000606589:CALCA protein, human; D011498:Protein Precursors; D002443:Ceftriaxone; D002116:Calcitonin; D020682:Cefixime; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide