[Program of empirical antibacterial therapy of community-acquired pneumonia].

Clinical and bacteriological efficacies of some antibacterial agents were estimated with their differential use in the management of various groups of patients with community-acquired pneumonia. Group 1 included young and middle-aged patients with mild pneumonia. Group 2 included young and middle-aged patients with moderate pneumonia. Group 3 included elderly patients with pneumonia and/or patients with concomitant diseases or certain factors complicating the main process. The patients of group 1 were treated with roxithromycin and spiramycin and showed a rapid clinical effect in 100 and 86 per cent of the cases and a rapid bacteriological effect in 84 and 75 per cent of the cases respectively. The patients of group 2 were treated with parenteral cefuroxime with positive clinical and bacteriological effects in 68 and 78 per cent of the cases respectively. The patients of group 3 were treated with ceftibuten and pefloxacin which provided a clinical effect in 91 and 70 per cent of the cases and a bacteriological effect in 72 and 100 per cent of the cases respectively. The results of the treatment with an account of the differences in the pathogen spectra made it possible to recommend as the 1st order agents for the empirical therapy of community-acquired pneumonia (1) macrolide antibiotics for young and middle-aged patients with mild pneumonia without concomitant diseases, (2) 2nd generation cephalosporins for patients with moderate pneumonia without severe concomitant diseases and (3) 3rd generation cephalosporins or fluoroquinolones for elderly patients with pneumonia and the patients with complicating factors.