Efficacy of amoxicillin-clavulanic acid versus ceftriaxone in children hospitalized under 5 years of age with uncomplicated community acquired pneumonia.

Abstract

Objectives: Community acquired pneumonia (CAP) is considered to be the commonest reason for hospitalization among children. Pneumonia is the leading cause of mortality among children in Pakistan in children, causing 33% of all deaths in infants and 37% of all deaths in children 1 to 4 years. The aim of current study was to compare efficacy of amoxicillin-clavulanic acid versus ceftriaxone among children under 5 years of age, hospitalized having uncomplicated CAP. Study Design: Randomized Controlled trial (RCT). Setting: Department of Pediatric Medicine, The Children Hospital and Institute of Child Health, Lahore. Period: 01/01/2019 to 30/06/2019. Material & Methods: A total of 210 (105 in each group) children aged between 2 to 60 months, diagnosed having CAP were randomly allocated into either Group-A (received IV amoxicillin-clavulanic acid) or Group B (received IV ceftriaxone). Efficacy in terms of response of both treatment groups was noted after 5 days treatment. Results: Overall, mean age was noted as 14.68±15.7 months. Majority (n=131, 32.4%) were male and aged between 1 to 12 months (n=135, 64.3%). Mean duration of symptoms was noted as 3.60±1.69 days. Efficacy was significantly higher in children treated with ceftriaxone as compared to those treated with Amoxicillin/Clavulanic acid (96.2% vs. 76.2%; p<0.001). This difference was significant across all age, gender and duration of symptom groups (p<0.05). Conclusion: The efficacy was significantly higher in children treated with ceftriaxone as compared to Amoxicillin/Clavulanic acid.