CLINICAL EVALUATION OF A NEW MACROLIDE ANTIBIOTIC, AZITHROMYCIN, IN THE PEDIATRIC FIELD

Azithromycin (AZM) preparations in fine granules and capsules were evaluated in 36 pediatric patients with various infections. In patients with pneumonia caused by Moraxella catarrhalis, Haemophilus influenzae or Mycoplasma pneumoniae, bronchitis, pharyngitis, scarlet fever, whooping cough, or campylobacter enteritis, AZM was found effective in 94.4% (34/36). As for the bacteriological efficacy of AZM, all of 12 strains identified were found eradicated by the treatment. Plasma T 1/2 (24-48 hrs.) of AZM in fine granules, given two patients at 10 mg/kg body weight once daily for 3 days, were 41.5 and 51.4 hours, while AUC0-∞was 7.45 and 13.44mg·hr/ml. The rates of AZM recovered in the urine samples from two pediatric patients in the first 81 hours of treatment, when it is given in fine granules at 10 mg/kg body weight once daily for 3 days, were 6.27% and 11.0%. Data from 43 patients were included for drug safety evaluation. Neither adverse reactions nor abnormal laboratory changes were observed. In conclusion, AZM was found useful in treatment of pediatric infections.