Amoxicillin/clavulanic acid as switch-therapy in treatment of community acquired pneumonia in adults after treatment with other antibiotics has failed. Preliminary data

Patients with community acquired pneumonia (CAP) previously treated with other oral antibiotics for at least 72 hours at home were considered for this multinational European study. 112 hospitalized patients (63 males and 49 females) ranging between the ages of 19 and of 92 were treated with Amoxicillin/Clavulanic acid (AMC) 1,2 g i.v., T.I.D. for at least 3 days. I.V. treatment were switched to AMC p.o after apyrexia status, for a total period of no less than 10 days and no more than 14. At the end of the treatment, 87 patients (87%) were considered cured, while treatment failed in 13 patients (13%). 12 patients were considered not evaluable because in 6 patients serology was positive for M.pneumoniae, 1 patients serology was positive for C.pneumoniae, 1 patient was excluded for lung cancer and 4 patients were excluded for adverse events unrelated with AMC.