The total cost of treatment was calculated as the sum of:
initial antibiotics plus
initial physician visits plus
follow-up physician visits for additional treatment plus
antibiotics for treatment failure plus
medications and products required to manage side effects.
Results showed costs of $2713.80 ($108.55 per patient) for the cefpodoxime proxetil group, and $2732.47 ($109.29) for the amoxicillin/clavulanate group. These costs excluded the respective costs for telephone consultations and the indirect cost of parents' time taken off work to care for children with treatment failure.