Antibiotic therapy regimens for mild community-acquired pneumonia in patients with risk factors for ineffective treatment: clinical and economic comparisons

• Published in: Terapevtic̆eskii arhiv Vol. 85; no. 12; pp. 41 - 46
• Main Authors: Zaĭtsev, A A, Makarevich, A M, Kondrat'eva, T V, Kalugin, V V
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Russian
• Published: Russia (Federation) "Consilium Medicum" Publishing house 01-01-2013
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Anti-Bacterial Agents - administration & dosage; Anti-Bacterial Agents - adverse effects; Anti-Bacterial Agents - economics; antibiotic therapy; Community-Acquired Infections - drug therapy; community-acquired pneumonia; Female; Humans; Levofloxacin - administration & dosage; Levofloxacin - adverse effects; Levofloxacin - economics; Male; Middle Aged; pharmacoeconomy; Pneumonia - drug therapy; Risk Factors; risk factors for ineffective treatment; Severity of Illness Index; Treatment Outcome; Young Adult
• ISSN: 0040-3660; 2309-5342

To evaluate the clinical efficiency, tolerance, and pharmacoeconomic parameters of treatment for mild community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in patients with risk factors for ineffective treatment with levofloxacin (Glevo) versus original levofloxacin and standard pharmacotherapy regimens for mild pneumonia (real practice).
An open-label comparative randomized trial was conducted in parallel groups of 147 patients aged > or = 18 years with mild CAP and risk factors for ineffective treatment. Group 1 included 61 patients (59 men and 2 women; mean age 23.3 +/- 11.2 years) receiving levofloxacin (Glevo) 500 mg/day; Group 2 comprised 41 patients (39 men and 1 woman; mean age 26.4 +/- 13.4 years) treated with original levofloxacin 500 mg/day; Group 3 consisted of 45 patients (all men; mean age 23.7 +/- 9.9 years) on standard therapy. The trial was performed in 3 pulmonology centers.
The use of the respiratory fluoroquinolone levofloxacinto treat mild CAP in the patients with risk factors for failure for its therapy demonstrated a higher efficiency than the antibiotic regimens used in real clinical practice. This suggests that physicians underestimate risk factors and do not always make a rational choice of an antimicrobial agent in the given clinical situation.
The generic form of levofloxacin (Glevo) is as clinically effective as its original drug in the treatment of CAP and characterized by its optimal pharmacoeconomic parameters.