How short can courses be in lower respiratory tract infections?

Prospective clinical studies conducted over the last 10 years provide data on which to base decisions regarding the treatment of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP), including the need for hospitalization, optimal timing of the switch from intravenous to oral antibiotic therapy and the discharge of patients. Validated treatment algorithms, such as the classification of community-acquired pneumonia, now enable decisions to be made on which patients with CAP require hospitalization, as well as identifying those who will benefit from early switch therapy. Generally, unstable CAP patients are suitable candidates for early switch therapy, which consists of rapid initiation of 1 - 2 days' intravenous therapy followed by 5 days' oral therapy, with early discharge from hospital after the receipt of one or two doses of oral antibiotic. Studies with intravenous cefuroxime and followed by oral cefuroxime axetil suggest this regimen is both effective and well tolerated as rapid switch therapy, and has the potential to reduce overall healthcare costs and improve patient satisfaction.