Antimicrobial therapy of community-acquired pneumonia. New antibiotics, abreviated course treatment, cost-benefit analysis.

There have been relatively few well-designed clinical trials comparing new antibiotics; mainly quinolones with enhanced in vitro activity against Stre ptococcus pneumoniae - and valid comparators. Quinolones are at least as ef ficient as comparators. But trials are of limited value in choice assistanc e for the empirical treatment of community-acquired pneumonia, since they a re not stratified according to the severity of pneumonia and risk factors. The potential toxicity and ecological damage do jnot favor a large utilizat ion of quinolones. (C) 2001 Editions scientifiques et medicales Elsevier SA S