Clinical therapeutics
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Clinical therapeutics · Jan 2012
ReviewFidaxomicin: the newest addition to the armamentarium against Clostridium difficile infections.
Fidaxomicin, a macrolide antibiotic, was the first medication for the management of Clostridium difficile infections (CDI) to be approved by the US Food and Drug Administration in more than 20 years. ⋯ Reports suggest that fidaxomicin is noninferior to oral vancomycin in the treatment of mild or moderate CDI, although no published comparisons with metronidazole exist to date. Additionally, fidaxomicin improved outcomes compared with oral vancomycin in terms of rates of relapse and recurrent CDI, and in patients who might require concomitant antibiotics. Prospective, randomized studies comparing fidaxomicin with metronidazole in the treatment of mild or moderate CDI, as well as against vancomycin for severe CDI, should be undertaken to clarify the exact role of fidaxomicin in clinical practice.
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Clinical therapeutics · Jan 2012
Symptomatic management of fever by Swiss board-certified pediatricians: results from a cross-sectional, Web-based survey.
Symptomatic management is often all that is recommended in children with fever. To date, only 2 nationwide surveys of pediatricians regarding their attitudes toward fever have been published. ⋯ Based on the findings from the present survey, antipyretics are often prescribed to treat the general discomfort that accompanies fever. Nonetheless, a gap exists between available evidence and clinical practice. Guidelines should take this fact into account.