FDA recommends levofloxacin for the treatment of complicated and uncomplicated skin infections

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a new indication for the use of levofloxacin (registered in USA by Aventis under the name "Tavanik" ) - this is the treatment of complicated skin infections at a dose of 750 mg per day. This is the ninth indication for levofloxacin, which is widely used in doses of 250 mg and 500 mg daily for the treatment of respiratory tract, MVP and skin infections.

For the treatment of uncomplicated skin infections, the recommended dosage is 500 mg / day. At the same dosage, levofloxacin is used to treat pneumonia caused by penicillin-sensitive S. pneumoniae, acute sinusitis, and exacerbations of chronic bronchitis. Levofloxacin can be used for the treatment of uncomplicated and complicated infections of MVP and acute pyelonephritis (250 mg daily dose).

The high safety of a new dose of levofloxacin (750 mg) has been confirmed by recent studies. The use of high doses is completely justified, because often complicated skin infections occur in immunocompromised patients (elderly people with AIDS) and in people suffering from circulatory insufficiency. Complicated skin infections include: deep infected skin lesions resulting from surgery, punctures and lacerations, infected abscesses and ulcers. In the United States, more than a million cases of complicated skin infections after surgery are reported each year.

Levofloxacin is also indicated for the treatment of complicated skin infections caused by Methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis, Stretococcus pyogenes and Proteus mirabilis. At a dose of 750 mg, levofloxacin is recommended for 7 to 14 days.

In the United States, several studies have shown that levofloxacin is relatively rare for respiratory and urinary tract infections.

The efficacy and safety of the use of levofloxacin in pediatrics in pregnant women and nursing mothers has not yet been established.