Early transition to oral antibiotic therapy for community-acquired pneumonia: duration of therapy, clinical outcomes, and cost analysis

There was no difference in clinical courses, cure rates, survival, or resolution of CXR abnormality. Mean duration of therapy was 6.88 days in control vs. 7.3 days in intervention and frequencies of symptom improvement were 97% vs. 95% respectively. Patents in intervention had shorter hospital stays (7.3 vs. 9.71 days p=0.01) and lower total costs of care ($2,953 vs. $5,002) p<0.05).

Reference:
Omidvari K, De Boisblanc BP, Karam G, Nelson S, Haponik E and Summer W.  Early transition to oral antibiotic therapy for community-acquired pneumonia: duration of therapy, clinical outcomes, and cost analysis. Respiratory Medicine 1998 (92):1032-1039 Omidvari K, De Boisblanc BP, Karam G, Nelson S, Haponik E and Summer W. Early transition to oral antibiotic therapy for community-acquired pneumonia: duration of therapy, clinical outcomes, and cost analysis. Respiratory Medicine 1998 (92):1032-1039

Setting:
Multicenter-Medical Center of Louisiana, New Orleans USA as main site and other hospitals in USA Multicenter-Medical Center of Louisiana, New Orleans USA as main site and other hospitals in USA

Intervention:
Conversion – CAP pts randomized to conventional course of IV antibiotics vs. abbreviated course of IV antibiotics followed by conversion to oral antibiotics conversion-CAP pts randomized to conventional course of IV antibiotics vs. abbreviated course of IV antibiotics followed by conversion to oral antibiotics.

Impact:
No difference in clinical courses, cure rates, survival, or resolution of CXR abnormality.  Mean duration of therapy was 6.88 days in control vs. 7.3 days in intervention and frequencies of symptom improvement were 97% vs. 95% respectively. Patients in intervention had shorter hospital stays (7.3 vs. 9.71 days p=0.01) and lower total costs of care ($2,953 vs. $5,002) p<0.05).