Ofloxacin use in a geriatric population

The efficacy and safety of ofloxacin for the treatment of pneumonia, urinary infection and skin infections in the institutionalized elderly is being studied in a multicenter North American trial. The two study arms include an open, randomized, comparison of intravenous or oral ofloxacin with standard therapy in subjects requiring admission to acute care institutions, and an open study of oral ofloxacin in residents of chronic care facilities. To date 58 subjects have been enrolled with a mean age of 84 +/- 8 years. The preliminary observations from this ongoing multicenter study suggest that ofloxacin will be a safe and effective option for antimicrobial therapy in the treatment of these common infections in the institutionalized elderly.