COMPARISON OF CLINICAL EFFECTIVEES OF AZITHROMYCIN VERSUS CEFTRIIAXONE IN TREATMENT OF ENTERIC FEVER IN PAEDIATRIC POPULLATIO

Abstract

Objective: To compare clinical effectiveness of azithromycin versus ceftriaxone in terms of mean time taken in number of days for defervesence in children with enteric fever.

Study Design: Quasi experimental study.

Place and Duration of Study: Pak Emirates Military Hospital Rawalpindi, from Oct 2015 to Apr 2016.

Methodology: The study involved 212 children of both genders aged between 2 to 12 years diagnosed with enteric fever. Patients were divided randomly into two treatment groups. All patients in group A were treated with oral azithromycin suspension/capsule (20mg/kilogram/day; max dose, 500mg/day) once daily for 7 days and group B with Intravenous (I/V) ceftriaxone (75mg/kg/day; max dose, 2.5 grams/day) twice daily for 10 days.

Results: No statistically significant difference was noted in the mean defervesence time in patients treated with azithromycin and ceftriaxone (4.48 ± 1.13 days vs. 4.32 ± 1.23 days; p=325). When stratified, there wasn’t any significant difference in mean defervesence time in patients given azithromycin and ceftriaxone across age groups and genders.

Conclusion: There was no significant difference in mean defervesence time in patients given treatment for enteric fever with azithromycin versus ceftriaxone. A drug that was less invasive and has similar clinical effectiveness may be used as treatment alternative in pediatric patients with enteric fever.