Effectiveness of early switch from intravenous to oral antibiotics in severe community acquired pneumonia: multicentre randomised trial.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

To compare the effectiveness of an early switch to oral antibiotics with the standard 7 day course of intravenous antibiotics in severe community acquired pneumonia.

Design

Multicentre randomised controlled trial.

Setting

Five teaching hospitals and 2 university medical centres in the Netherlands.

Participants

302 patients in non-intensive care wards with severe community acquired pneumonia. 265 patients fulfilled the study requirements.

Intervention

Three days of treatment with intravenous antibiotics followed, when clinically stable, by oral antibiotics or by 7 days of intravenous antibiotics.

Main outcome measures

Clinical cure and length of hospital stay.

Results

302 patients were randomised (mean age 69.5 (standard deviation

SUBMITTER: Oosterheert JJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1693658 | biostudies-literature | 2006 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature