Comparison of efficacy and safety between gatifloxacin and levofloxacin in treatment of patients with light to moderate acute lower respiratory tract infections

AIM: To compare efficacy and safety of gatifloxacin and levofloxacin by a randomized controlled trial in treatment of patients with light to moderate acute lower respiratory tract infections. METHODS: 39 cases were assigned to two groups: 20 in gatifloxacin group and 19 in levofloxacin group. The dose of gatifloxacin was 0.2 g per tablet, po, two times a day and the same to levofloxacin. The course of treatment was 5-10 d. RESULTS: The clinical curative rates of gatifloxacin and levofloxacin groups were 75% (14/20) and 63.16 % ( 12/19 ), the effective rates were 100% and 90% (P 0.05 ), bacterial clearance were 100% and 90%, and adverse reaction rates were 10%(2/20)and 10.53 % ( 2/19 ), respectively. All those adverse reactions were mainly gastrointestinal tract reactions. The abnormality of laboratory inspections associated with trial drugs happened to 4 and 5 patients in two groups. The reactions were mostly light increase of aminotransferase without effect on therapy. CONCLUSION: Gatifloxacin is an antibiotic with large antimicrobial spectrum and can be recommended to treat light to moderate acute lower respiratory tract infections.