Intravenous Azithromycin Plus Intravenous Ceftriaxone Followed by Oral Azithromycin With Intravenous Levofloxacin Followed by Oral Levofloxacin for the Treatment of Moderate to Severely Ill Hospitalized Patients With Community Acquired Pneumonia

• Drug: IV azithromycin
  
  500 mg once daily
  Other Name: Zithromax®
• Drug: ceftriaxone
  
  1 gram once daily for 2 to 5 days
  Other Name: Rocephin®
• Drug: oral azithromycin
  
  2 x 250 mg once daily
  Other Name: Zithromax®
• Drug: IV levofloxacin
  
  500 mg once daily
  Other Name: Levaquin®
• Drug: oral levofloxacin
  
  500 mg once daily
  Other Name: Levaquin®

• Experimental: Azithromycin plus ceftriaxone group (AZY+CEF group)
  
  IV azithromycin (500 mg once daily) plus ceftriaxone (1 gram once daily) for 2 to 5 days followed by oral azithromycin (2 x 250 mg once daily) to complete a total of 7 to 10 days of therapy
  Interventions:
  

  • Drug: IV azithromycin
  • Drug: ceftriaxone
  • Drug: oral azithromycin
• Experimental: Levofloxacin group (LEV group)
  
  IV levofloxacin (500 mg once daily) for a minimum of 2 days followed by oral levofloxacin (500 mg once daily) to complete a total of 7 to 14 days of therapy.
  Interventions:
  

  • Drug: IV levofloxacin
  • Drug: oral levofloxacin

Inclusion Criteria:

• Patient must be 18 years or older.
• Patient must be hospitalized and require intravenous therapy for treatment of pneumonia.
• Patient must have pneumonia as documented by relevant signs and symptoms and a positive chest X-ray.
• Patients cannot have certain underlying diseases or conditions as defined in the study protocol.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Pregnant women, nursing mothers, or women of childbearing potential not practicing adequate contraception.
• Known or suspected hypersensitivity or intolerance to any quinolone, penicillin, cephalosporin, or macrolide antibiotic.
• Treatment with any systemic antibiotic for 24 hours or longer within 72 hours prior to the baseline visit.
• Subjects with clinically significant renal dysfunction.
• Subjects with clinically significant hepatic dysfunction.
• Subjects with clinically significant cardiovascular disorders.