Comparison of cefadroxil and cephalexin in the treatment of community-acquired pneumonia.

Thirty-four patients with community-acquired acute pneumonias were treated in a prospective, randomized trial with either cefadroxil, 500 mg twice daily, or cephalexin, 250 mg four times daily. In both groups of patients, the presence of chronic illnesses predisposing to pneumonia was common. Streptococcus pneumoniae was isolated from 65% of the initial sputum specimens, and most illnesses were of mild to moderate severity. All 19 cases treated with cefadroxil and all 15 cases treated with cephalexin were clinically cured, and adverse reactions to the medications were minimal. The success of these regimens suggests that outpatient use of oral cephalosporin therapy may be an appropriate treatment of patients with mild or moderate community-acquired pneumonia.