Key Takeaway:

When treating pediatric respiratory infections, azithromycin is a more appealing alternative because it has superior safety profiles and fewer side effects.

When compared to erythromycin, clarithromycin, and other macrolides, azithromycin (AZM), which has good tissue penetration and pharmacodynamic stability, should be more widely used. Research on pediatric respiratory disorders and AZM has increased during the past few decades. Most studies examine the effectiveness of AZM, but there are not many that provide a thorough review of the drug’s safety profiles and bad effects.

To give clinicians more reference information for clinical practice, this study comprehensively assessed the adverse reactions of AZM in the treatment of juvenile respiratory disorders by the completion of a systematic review and meta-analysis.

There were fourteen qualified studies in all. The incidence of adverse events following AZM treatment was found to be 24.20% in the meta-analysis, compared to 48.05% in the control group (P <.001). AZM exhibited a decreased frequency of adverse events in the sequential therapy subgroup (P <.001). AZM exhibited a decreased incidence of adverse events in the intravenous administration subgroup (P =.003). AZM exhibited a decreased incidence of adverse events in the oral administration subgroup (P <.001). In general, it was also discovered that compared to other treatment subgroups, the AZM subgroup had a substantially lower rate of adverse responses.

The findings of this systematic review and meta-analysis point to AZM having superior safety profiles and fewer adverse responses while treating pediatric respiratory illnesses. AZM is a more appealing alternative when treating pediatric respiratory disorders, especially when compared to other macrolides or antibiotics, as evidenced by previous data that show it to be as effective or even more favorable with a reduced incidence of adverse effects.

Reference: Sun YW et al. Safety profiles and adverse reactions of azithromycin in the treatment of pediatric respiratory diseases: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Medicine (Baltimore). 2023 Dec 1;102(48):e36306.