Doxycycline is a cost-effective therapy for hospitalized patients with community-acquired pneumonia

Background: Doxycycline has a high degree of activity against many common r espiratory pathogens and has been used in the outpatient management of lowe r respiratory tract infections, including pneumonia. Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of intravenous doxycycline as empirical treatment in hospitalized patients with mild to moderately severe communit y-acquired pneumonia. Patients and Methods: We conducted a randomized prospective trial to compar e the efficacy of intravenous doxycycline with other routinely used antibio tic regimens in 87 patients admitted with the diagnosis of community-acquir ed pneumonia. Forty-three patients were randomized to receive 100 mg of dox ycycline intravenously every 12 hours while 44 patients received other anti biotic(s) (control group). The 2 patient groups were comparable in their cl inical and laboratory profiles. Results: The mean +/- SD interval between starting an antibiotic and the cl inical response was 2.21 +/- 2.61 days in the doxycycline group compared wi th 3.84 +/- 6.39 days in the control group (P = .001). The mean Lf: SD leng th of hospitalization was 4.14 +/- 3.08 days in the doxycycline group compa red with 6.14 +/- 6.65 days in the control group (P = .04). The median cost of hospitalization was $5126 in the doxycycline group compared with $'6528 in the control group (P = .04). The median cost of antibiotic therapy in t he doxycycline-heated patients ($33) was significantly lower than in the co ntrol group ($170.90) (P < .001). Doxycycline was as efficacious as the oth er regimens chosen for the treatment of community-acquired pneumonia. Conclusion: Doxycycline is an effective and inexpensive therapy for the emp irical treatment of hospitalized patients with mild to moderately severe co mmunity-acquired pneumonia.