A comparison of cefaclor and ampicillin in the treatment of respiratory infection in elderly in-patients.

Fifty patients admitted to a geriatric ward with respiratory tract infection were randomly allocated to treatment with 250 mg cefaclor 8-hourly or 250 mg ampicillin 6-hourly. Assessment of response was performed by nursing and medical staff independently and it was found that the nurses tended to record changes in overall condition earlier than did the doctors. The failure rate was 15%, with no difference between the two treatments. The significance of this in relation to the different pharmacokinetic properties of these antibiotics is discussed.

RCT Entities:   Population Interventions Outcomes