Table 1.

Characteristics of included studies comparing β lactam antibiotics with antibiotics active against atypical pathogens in patients with community acquired pneumonia

Study drug	Reference, country	No of sites; year	Participants	Intention to treat	Intervention	Time of outcome assessment
Azithromycin	Kinasewitz 199113, United States	28; pre-1990	Adults (mean age 41); 119 randomised; 71 clinically analysable	Not available	Azithromycin for 5 days versus cefaclor for 10 days	Days 10-13
Ciprofloxacin	Johnson 199614, United States	19; 1990-3	Adults (mean age 59); about 90% had community acquired pneumonia; 217 randomised	217 patients	Intravenous ciprofloxacin versus intravenous ceftriaxone for 3-10 days	0-7 days after end of treatment
Erythromycin	Macfarlane 198315, United Kingdom	One; 1980-1	Adults (mean age 50); 122 randomised	91 patients*	Intravenous erythromycin followed by oral erythromycin versus intravenous ampicillin followed by oral amoxicillin for 7 days	Day 13
Gatifloxacin	Lode 200416, multinational	73; 1997-8	Adults (mean age 50); 462 randomised	456 patients*	Gatifloxacin versus combined amoxicillin and clavulanic acid for 5-10 days	1-3 days after end of treatment
Gatifloxacin	Study report 2000 (KF5501/16; see bmj.com), multinational	123; 1999-2000	Adults (mean age 52); 1061 randomised; 34% had severe community acquired pneumonia	1051 patients*	Gatifloxacin versus amoxicillin for 7-10 days	Days 10-17
Gemifloxacin	Leophonte 200417, multinational	102; 1998-9	Adults (mean age 54); 324 randomised; 16% had severe community acquired pneumonia	320 patients*	Gemifloxacin versus combined amoxicillin and clavulanic acid for 7-10 days	Days 12-14
Grepafloxacin	O'Doherty 199718, United Kingdom and Eire	43; 1992-3	Adults (mean age 55); 264 randomised; 225 clinically analysable	Not available	Grepafloxacin versus amoxicillin for 7-10 days	Days 28-42
Grepafloxacin	Study report 1997 (106-92-201; see bmj.com); United States, United Kingdom, Eire	83; 1992-6	Adults; (mean age unavailable); 475 randomised	475 patients	Grepafloxacin versus cefaclor for 7-10 days	Days 28-42
Grepafloxacin	Study report 1999 (GFXB 3004; see bmj.com); multinational	70; 1996-8	Adults (median age 52); 370 randomised	370 patients	Grepafloxacin versus amoxicillin for 10 days	1-3 days after end of treatment
Levofloxacin	Study report 1994 (DR-3355/E05; see bmj.com); Europe	40; 1992-3	Adults (median age 61); 140 randomised, 16% had severe community acquired pneumonia	123 patients*	Levofloxacin (two different doses) versus amoxicillin for 7-14 days	0-2 days after end of treatment
Levofloxacin	Carbon 199919; multinational	50; pre-1996	Adults (mean age 41); 516 randomised	516 patients	Levofloxacin (two different doses) versus combined amoxicillin and clavulanic acid for 7-10 days	2-5 days after end of treatment
Moxifloxacin	Petitpretz 200120; multinational	84; 1997-8	Adults (mean age 51); 411 randomised	408 patients*	Moxifloxacin versus amoxicillin for 10 days	3-5 days after end of treatment
Sparfloxacin or erythromycin	Lode 199521; multinational	124; 1990-2	Adults (mean age 54); 808 randomised	808 patients	Sparfloxacin versus erythromycin versus combined amoxicillin and clavulanic acid for 7-14 days; randomised 2:1:1	Days 7-14
Sparfloxacin	Aubier 199822; France, South Africa, Switzerland	55; 1991-2	Adults (mean age 42); 329 randomised	329 patients	Sparfloxacin versus amoxicillin for 10-14 days	Days 14-21
Sparfloxacin	Donowitz 199723; United States	74; 1992-5	Adults (mean age 49); 330 randomised	330 patients	Sparfloxacin versus cefaclor for 10 days	Days 17-23
Telithromycin	Hagberg 200224; multinational	59; 1998-9	Adults (median age 42); 404 randomised; 27% had prognostic severity index score ≥3)	404 patients	Telithromycin versus amoxicillin for 10 days	Days 17-21
Temafloxacin	Carbon 199225; France	27; 1989-90	Adults (mean age 55); 246 randomised	243 patients*	Temafloxacin versus amoxicillin for 10 days	1-3 days after end of treatment
Trovafloxacin	Tremolieres 199826; multinational	44; 1995-6	Adults (mean age 52); 342 randomised; 312 clinically analysable	Not available	Trovafloxacin versus amoxicillin for 7-10 days	Days 7-10

^*Modified intention to treat analysis.