Intravenous moxifloxacin in routine hospital treatment of respiratory tract infections in China: results of a multicenter, noninterventional study

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effectiveness, safety, and tolerability of moxifloxacin (MXF) (intravenous [IV] or sequential therapy [IV followed by oral]) under daily treatment conditions in a large number of patients with respiratory tract infections. DESIGN: Patients with a diagnosis of respiratory tract infection should be treated with MXF IV and/or tablets 400 mg once daily for a duration at the physician’s discretion. For each patient, the physician documented data at an initial visit and at the end of therapy (EOT) visit and/or, in the case of sequential therapy, an interim visit when the patient switched to oral treatment. RESULTS: A total of 1953 patients treated with MXF were documented and were valid for an effectiveness and safety evaluation. An improvement was observed in 98.1% (n = 1911/1949) of patients treated with MXF. Recovery was documented in 89.9% (n = 1754/1951) of the patients. At the EOT visit, severity of infection was assessed to be “relieved” or at least “improved” in 96.5% (n = 1873/1940) of the patients. Physicians assessed overall effectiveness as “good” or “very good” in 93.3% (n = 1822/1953) of all patients. The physicians’ overall tolerability rating was “very good” or “good” in 93.5% (n = 1827/1953) of all patients. The incidence rates of adverse events (AEs) and adverse drug reactions (ADRs) were 0.72% (n = 14) and 0.67% (n = 13), respectively. One serious AE “falling white blood cell count” occurred (0.05%), which was also defined as a serious ADR and resolved. CONCLUSION: MXF was generally well tolerated and highly effective in the treatment of different respiratory tract infections. The incidence of AEs and ADRs was low. The efficacy, safety, and tolerability information collected in this study confirms the clinical safety profile of MXF and its value as antibiotic treatment for respiratory tract infections.