Evaluation of Azithromycin As Add On Therapy in Community Acquired Pneumonia Patients; A Pilot Clinical Study

Jeetu Gangil¹, Dr. Prabha Adhikari²*, Dr. Kishore G. Sam¹, Anish Kumar¹, Girish T. ¹

¹Department of Pharmacy Practice, Manipal College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Manipal, Manipal University, Karnataka- 576 104

²Research Director, Manipal Acunova, Clinical Research Center of KMC Manipal, Manipal University, Karnataka- 575 001

ABSTRACT:

Objective: The objective of this pilot clinical study was evaluation of efficacy and safety of azithromycin versus placebo in combination with standard antibiotic therapy in Community acquired Pneumonia (CAP) patients.

Materials & Methods: Effectiveness of azithromycin was evaluated at dose 500 mg orally once in a day, for ten days with standard antibiotic therapy cefotaxim 500mg i.v. (t.i.d.) in adult patients who hospitalized for CAP. We selected n = 40 patients and randomized into two groups azithromycin and placebo. We analyzed the effectiveness of concomitant use of azithromycin in CAP patients on the basis of improvement in clinical characteristics, duration of hospitalization and outcomes.

Result; On comparison with the standard therapy, CAP patients who received azithromycin tablet showed a significant reduction in average length of stay in the hospital (Mean ± SD) days for study group and controls, mortality and clinical outcomes. However moderate improvement was observed in clinical characteristics (reduction in Pneumonia scores of study group versus controls) with standard therapy of CAP treatment.

Conclusion: Concomitant administration of azithromycin showed significant benefits in reduction in length of hospital stay and mortality rate when added to standard care. This benefit is independent of its antibiotic activity.

Keywords: Add on therapy, Azithromycin, Community Acquired Pneumonia, Duration of hospitalization

Available at: http://jcpronline.com/final/09781.pdf