Gatifloxacin vs Cefixime for Treating Enteric Fever
Author Information
Author(s): Pandit Anil, Arjyal Amit, Day Jeremy N., Paudyal Buddhi, Dangol Sabina, Zimmerman Mark D., Yadav Bharat, Stepniewska Kasia, Campbell James I., Dolecek Christiane, Farrar Jeremy J., Basnyat Buddha
Primary Institution: Patan Hospital, Lagankhel, Lalitpur, Nepal
Hypothesis
Is gatifloxacin more effective than cefixime in treating uncomplicated enteric fever?
Conclusion
Gatifloxacin is a better treatment for uncomplicated enteric fever compared to cefixime.
Supporting Evidence
- Median fever clearance time was 92 hours for gatifloxacin and 138 hours for cefixime.
- 27% of patients in the cefixime group had acute clinical failure compared to 1% in the gatifloxacin group.
- Overall treatment failure was 37.6% in the cefixime group and 3.5% in the gatifloxacin group.
Takeaway
This study found that gatifloxacin works much faster than cefixime for treating enteric fever, which is a type of sickness caused by bacteria.
Methodology
A randomized, open-label, active control trial comparing gatifloxacin and cefixime in patients with uncomplicated enteric fever.
Potential Biases
Blinding was not feasible due to the different dosing schedules of the drugs.
Limitations
The trial was stopped early based on significant differences observed, which may limit the generalizability of the findings.
Participant Demographics
Patients aged 2 to 65 years with clinically diagnosed uncomplicated enteric fever.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.0001
Confidence Interval
95% CI for gatifloxacin: 84–114 hours; for cefixime: 105–164 hours
Statistical Significance
p<0.0001
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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