Question 11

It has been reported that using the high-dose levofloxacin regimen there is a faster resolution of symptoms. Could you comment on this?

We decided to investigate this recalling that many patients coming back at the day 3 on-therapy visit during trials of the 500 mg dose commented on how quickly they had improved. Therefore, we objectively evaluated the presence of several symptoms at study entry and after 3 days of therapy in all patients enrolled in the 750 mg study. A significantly higher percentage of patients receiving the 750 mg regimen were afebrile by day 3 compared with patients receiving the 500 mg dose (Table 5). In addition, resolution of shortness of breath approached significance in favor of the 750 mg dose. These are important advantages associated with the 750 mg levofloxacin regimen, as faster symptom resolution can be associated with significant clinical and economic benefits particularly as this relates to hospital length of stay and time lost from work.

Table 5. Levofloxacin 750 mg for 5 days provides greater symptom resolution at day 3

Symptoms	n/N (%) of patients
	Levofloxacin 750 mg	Levofloxacin 500 mg	p a
Fever (patient reported)	161/239 (67.4)	130/238 (54.6)	0.006
Fever (measured)	111/226 (49.1)	89/231 (38.5)	0.027
Purulent sputum	97/239 (40.6)	73/238 (30.7)	0.059
Shortness of breath	84/239 (35.1)	66/238 (27.7)	0.132
Pleuritic chest pain	72/239 (30.1)	65/238 (27.3)	0.532
Chills	131/239 (54.8)	129/238 (54.2)	0.901
Cough	24/239 (10.0)	24/238 (10.1)	0.990
a p value was determined from two-sample McNemar’s test.