Table 6.
Studies Investigating Alternative Therapy Duration, Dose, or Formulation
| Agent | Comparator | Success Rate | Side Effects |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duration | |||
| Azithromycin [96] | Amoxicillin/clavulanate | 88.8% and 84.9%, vs 84.9% | Higher for amox/clav group |
| 500 mg/d | 1500/375 mg/d | ||
| 3 or 6 days | 10 days | ||
| Azithromycin [95] microspheres | Levofloxacin | 92.5% vs 92.8% | Comparable |
| 2 g | 500 mg/d | ||
| 1 day | 10 days | ||
| Azithromycin [97] (meta-analysis) | Amoxicillin, roxithromycin, cefaclor, erythromycin, amoxicillin/clavulanate, clarithromycin, penicillin | Comparable | Comparable |
| 3 or 5 days | |||
| Levofloxacin [98] | Levofloxacin | >90% for both groups | Comparable |
| 750 mg/d | 500 mg/d | ||
| 5 days | 10 days | ||
| Gatifloxacin [99]* | Amoxicillin/clavulanate | 74% and 80%, vs 72% | Comparable |
| 400 mg/d | 1750/250 mg/d | ||
| 5 or 10 days | 10 days | ||
| Gemifloxacin [100] | Gemifloxacin | 83.5% vs 84.2% | Comparable |
| 320 mg/d | 320 mg/d | ||
| 5 days | 7 days | ||
| Dosing | |||
| Amoxicillin/clavulanate [101] | Amoxicillin/clavulanate | 88% vs 93% | Comparable |
| 500/125 mg | 875/125 mg | ||
| Every 8 hours | Every 12 hours | ||
| Formulation | |||
| Clarithromycin [102] ER | Amoxicillin/clavulanate | 98% vs 97% | Comparable |
| 1000 mg/d | 1750/250 mg/d | ||
| 14 days | 14 days | ||
*The fluoroquinolone, gatifloxacin was removed from the market following a study demonstrating potentially life-threatening glycemic events [103].
ER, extended release.