[Therapy of bacterial infections in infancy and childhood (author's transl)]

Area of Science:

• Pediatric infectious diseases
• Pharmacology and therapeutics
• Microbiology

Context:

• Bacterial infections like tonsillitis, otitis, bronchitis, and pneumonia are common in pediatric patients.
• Oral antibiotic administration is a frequent route for treating these infections in children.
• Phenoxymethylpenicillin V potassium is a widely used antibiotic for bacterial infections.

Purpose:

• To evaluate the tolerability and efficacy of a new galenic preparation of phenoxymethylpenicillin V potassium (Star-Pen Trockensirus SANABO).
• To assess the safety profile, including side effects like skin rash and gastrointestinal issues, of the new preparation.
• To compare the incidence of diarrhea with oral penicillin therapy in different age groups.

Summary:

• Eighty-three pediatric in-patients (3 months to 12 years) with tonsillitis, otitis, bronchitis, and pneumonia received the new phenoxymethylpenicillin V potassium preparation.
• The drug was very well tolerated, with no observed skin rash or issues during oral administration.
• Diarrhea, a common side effect of oral penicillin, was notably absent in patients over one year of age, with only one exception.

Impact:

• The new galenic preparation of phenoxymethylpenicillin V potassium demonstrates a favorable safety profile in pediatric patients.
• It offers a well-tolerated oral treatment option for common pediatric bacterial infections.
• Reduced incidence of diarrhea suggests an improved formulation for pediatric use, particularly in older children.