FLEROXACIN-400-MG-ONCE-DAILY VERSUS OFLOXACIN-400-MG-TWICE-DAILY IN SKIN AND SOFT-TISSUE INFECTIONS

The efficacy and safety of 10 days' oral treatment with fleroxacin 400 mg once daily were compared with those of ofloxacin 400 mg twice dail y in adults with skin and soft tissue infections, The most common diag noses were skin abscess, cellulitis and wound infection, The most comm only-isolated pathogens were Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epi dermidis and other coagulase-negative staphylococci, Overall bacteriol ogical cure rates in patients with susceptible pathogens were 89% for 158 fleroxacin-treated patients and 97% for 157 ofloxacin-treated pati ents (treatment difference 8%; 95% confidence intervals 2-14%; p < 0.0 5), Clinical cure rates were 78% for fleroxacin and 83% for ofloxacin (treatment difference 5%; 95% confidence intervals-5-14%, not statisti cally significant). The overall safety profiles were similar and the m ost frequently reported events were insomnia, headache, dizziness, and digestive system disorders, More fleroxacin-treated patients experien ced phototoxicity and treatment-limiting adverse events, In conclusion , compared to twice-daily ofloxacin, fleroxacin had similar clinical e fficacy and the advantage of once-a-day dosing, but with slightly lowe r bacteriological cure rate and a higher rate of treatment-limiting ad verse events.