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

AIM: 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)/MATERIAL AND METHODS: An open-label comparative randomized trial was conducted in parallel groups of 147 patients aged ≥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/RESULTS: The use of the respiratory fluoroquinolone levofloxacin to 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/CONCLUSION: 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.

community-acquired pneumonia, risk factors for ineffective treatment, antibiotic therapy, pharmacoeconomy