Efficacy and Safety of Levofloxacin in Outpatient Treatment of Exacerbations of COPD and Bronchiectasis

Abstract

Introduction: Majority of the exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and bronchiectasis could be treated on outpatient basis. Aim of the study: To assess efficacy and safety of levofloxacin as empirical treatment of exacerbations of COPD and bronchiectasis in outpatient setting. Methods: We performed an observational, non-randomized, open-label study including 74 patients with exacerbation of COPD and 34 patients with exacerbation of bronchiectasis of bacterial origin which met criteria for outpatient treatment. The patients were treated with oral levofloxacin 500 mg once daily for 10 days (COPD exacerbations) and 14 days (exacerbations of bronchiectasis). Efficacy of the treatment was assessed by a number of patients with clinical remission of exacerbation, while the safety was assessed by a number of patients with side effects during the treatment. Results: Clinical remission of exacerbation, i.e. complete resolution of clinical symptoms and signs or their return to their baseline severity, was achieved in 87.8% of patients with COPD, as well as in 82.3% of patients with bronchiectasis. In addition, the mean time to clinical remission of exacerbation in patients with COPD and bronchiectasis was 6.2 and 9.6 days, respectively. Incidence of side effects during the treatment with levofloxacin was 9.4% in patients with COPD and 11.7% in patients with bronchiectasis. Registered side effects were mild and self-limited and did not require premature discontinuation of the treatment with levofloxacin. Conclusion: Our findings confirmed high efficacy and good tolerability of levofloxacin in empirical treatment of exacerbations of COPD and bronchiectasis in outpatient setting.