Shafi Mohammad K, Shah Azher A, Khan Muhammad A, Faisal Sarwat, Iqbal Sarmad
Community Medicine, Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi, PAK.
Pediatric Medicine, University of Child Health Sciences, Lahore, PAK.
Cureus. 2024 Jul 14;16(7):e64539. doi: 10.7759/cureus.64539. eCollection 2024 Jul.
Upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs) are common in patients of the pediatric age group and often lead to significant morbidity and mortality. Antibiotics such as cefixime have contributed to the management of URTIs, particularly when bacterial etiology is suspected. Several studies have evaluated the effectiveness of cefixime in pediatric URTIs, showing promising results in alleviating symptoms and reducing the duration of illness. Cefixime, a third-generation cephalosporin, exhibits broad-spectrum activity against common pathogens implicated in URTIs, including , , and , which are resistant to hydrolysis by several β-lactamases. Due to its unique three-hour elimination half-life, cefixime allows for twice-daily or, in most cases, once-daily dosage. As a third-generation cephalosporin, cefixime effectively targets the common bacterial pathogens associated with these infections. Its notable efficacy is coupled with a favorable safety profile, making it a preferred choice for pediatricians and family physicians. The safety profiles of cefixime in children have been extensively studied with generally favorable outcomes. Adverse events are typically mild and infrequent, with gastrointestinal disturbances being most commonly reported. Notably, cefixime has a low propensity to induce bacterial resistance, making it a valuable option in the era of increasing antibiotic resistance. Cefixime may serve as a substitute for penicillin and first-generation cephalosporins in cases of acute upper and lower respiratory tract infections, acute otitis media, and acute uncomplicated urinary tract infections. This review aimed to provide a comprehensive outline of the use of cefixime in the treatment of URTIs in the pediatric population, focusing on its efficacy, safety, and overall clinical applications.
上呼吸道感染（URTIs）在儿童年龄组患者中很常见，常常导致显著的发病率和死亡率。头孢克肟等抗生素有助于上呼吸道感染的治疗，尤其是在怀疑有细菌病因时。多项研究评估了头孢克肟在儿童上呼吸道感染中的有效性，在缓解症状和缩短病程方面显示出有前景的结果。头孢克肟是一种第三代头孢菌素，对涉及上呼吸道感染的常见病原体具有广谱活性，包括对几种β-内酰胺酶水解具有抗性的[此处原文缺失病原体名称]、[此处原文缺失病原体名称]和[此处原文缺失病原体名称]。由于其独特的三小时消除半衰期，头孢克肟允许每日给药两次，或者在大多数情况下，每日给药一次。作为第三代头孢菌素，头孢克肟有效地靶向与这些感染相关的常见细菌病原体。其显著的疗效与良好的安全性相结合，使其成为儿科医生和家庭医生的首选。头孢克肟在儿童中的安全性已得到广泛研究，总体结果良好。不良事件通常轻微且不常见，最常报告的是胃肠道不适。值得注意的是，头孢克肟诱导细菌耐药的倾向较低，使其在抗生素耐药性不断增加的时代成为一个有价值的选择。在急性上、下呼吸道感染、急性中耳炎和急性单纯性尿路感染的情况下，头孢克肟可作为青霉素和第一代头孢菌素的替代品。本综述旨在全面概述头孢克肟在儿童人群上呼吸道感染治疗中的应用，重点关注其疗效、安全性和总体临床应用。
