Levofloxacin is an antibiotic that is approved by the FDA for the treatment of sinusitis, chronic bronchitis, skin infections, urinary tract infections, and community-acquired pneumonia. This multicenter, double-blind (neither the patient nor the study doctor will know the dose of levofloxacin being administered) study evaluates the effectiveness and safety of two antibiotic regimens in the treatment of community-acquired pneumonia in adult patients. A 5-day course of 750 milligrams of levofloxacin given once daily will be compared to a 10-day course 500 milligrams of levofloxacin given once daily. Patients receive levofloxacin by mouth or through a vein depending on the severity of their pneumonia. Patients are assessed after 3 days of treatment; treatment is discontinued if no significant improvement is noted. Patients showing signs of improvement continue in the study, with assessments on study days 12-16, and 17-21 (posttherapy visits), and 31-38 (poststudy visit). Effectiveness is assessed by measuring the ability of the study drug to eliminate bacteria causing pneumonia and to reduce the signs and symptoms of pneumonia. Chest x-rays and laboratory tests for presence of bacteria are performed during the study. Safety evaluations (incidence of adverse events, physical examinations, laboratory tests) are performed throughout the study. The study hypothesis is that levofloxacin administered at a higher dose for a shorter duration is at least as effective as levofloxacin administered at a lower dose for a longer duration in the treatment of community-acquired pneumonia and is generally well-tolerated.~Levofloxacin, 500 milligrams (mg) by mouth or through vein daily for 10 days or 750 mg by mouth or slowly through a vein daily for 5 days
The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of two antibiotic regimens in the treatment of community-acquired pneumonia in non-hospitalized adult patients. A 5-day course of 750 milligrams of levofloxacin given once daily will be compared to a 10-day course 500 milligrams of levofloxacin given once daily.