In the amoxicillin group, the mean respiratory rate (+/- standard deviation, SD) was 51.2 (+/- 10) at 48 hours and 41.4 (+/- 4.7) at discharge. In the cefuroxime group, it was 50.4 (+/- 9.5) at 48 hours and 46.8 (+/- 4.5) at discharge. In the clarithromycin group, it was 45.7 (+/- 8.8) at 48 hours and 38.8 (+/- 4.5) at discharge. The p-value for the differences was 0.7.
The average temperature (in degrees F; +/- SD) of the amoxicillin patients was 99.0 (+/- 0.96) at 48 hours and 98.2 (+/- 0.41) at discharge. In the cefuroxime group, it was 99.1 (+/- 1.0) at 48 hours and 98.5 (+/- 0.5) at discharge. In the clarithromycin group, it was 99.2 (+/- 1.2) at 48 hours and 98.4 (+/- 0.4) at discharge. The p-value for the differences was 0.5.
Three patients in the amoxicillin group, 1 in the cefuroxime group and 2 in the clarithromycin group required oxygen at 48 hours; none of the patients needed it at discharge, (p=0.1).
Eleven patients in the amoxicillin group, 9 in the cefuroxime group and 3 in the clarithromycin group were reluctant to feed at 48 hours; none of the patients was reluctant to feed at discharge for any of the groups, (p=0.2).
The proportion of patients experiencing clinical improvement was 97.6% with amoxicillin, 95.2% with cefuroxime and 97.6% with clarithromycin.