EFFICACY OF LEVOFLOXACIN VERSUS CIPROFLOXACIN IN THE TREATMENT OF CHILDHOOD TYPHOID FEVER

Abstract

Objective: “To compare the outcome of levofloxacin versus ciprofloxacin in the treatment of childhood typhoid fever”
Study design: Randomized controlled trial
Study place and duration: Department of Pediatric Medicine, Avicenna hospital, Lahore for 3 months (March 2025 till May 2025)
Methodology: Sample size of 360 children with typhoid fever were enrolled and randomly divided in two groups. In group A, children were given oral 200 mg levofloxacin tablet. In group B, children were given oral 900–1,000 mg ciprofloxacin tablet. All children were followed-up pediatric wards for 7 days. If fever was resolved within 5 days, then efficacy was labeled. Total time required to resolve fever was also noted. All this information was recorded on Proforma and analysed in SPSS version 25.

Results: In this trial, the mean age of children was observed to be 7.71 ± 2.81 years in levofloxacin group while 7.90 ± 2.60 years in ciprofloxacin group. In levofloxacin group, there were 99 (55%) male children and 81 (45%) female children. In ciprofloxacin group, there were 90 (50%) male children and 90 (50%) females children. In levofloxacin group, clinical efficacy was achieved in 176 (97.8%) children. In Ciprofloxacin group, clinical efficacy was achieved in 144 (80.0%) children (p-value <0.0001). The mean time to resolve the fever in levofloxacin group was 3.83 ± 1.10 days while with ciprofloxacin group was 4.64 ± 1.70 days (p-value <0.0001).

Conclusion: Thus, levofloxacin is a better drug of choice for children presenting with typhoid fever.