1 INDICATIONS & USAGE
Levofloxacin is a fluoroquinolone antibacterial indicated in adults (18 years of age and older) with infections caused by designated, susceptible bacteria and in pediatric patients where indicated (1, 12.4).
Pneumonia: Nosocomial (1.1) and Community Acquired (1.2, 1.3)
Skin and Skin Structure Infections (SSSI): Complicated (1.4) and Uncomplicated (1.5)
Chronic bacterial prostatitis (1.6)
Inhalational Anthrax, Post-Exposure in adult and pediatric patients (1.7)
Plague in adult and pediatric patients (1.8)
Urinary Tract Infections (UTI): Complicated (1.9, 1.10) and Uncomplicated (1.12)
Acute Pyelonephritis (1.11)
Acute Bacterial Exacerbation of Chronic Bronchitis (1.13)
Acute Bacterial Sinusitis (1.14)
Usage
To reduce the development of drug-resistant bacteria and maintain the effectiveness of levofloxacin and other antibacterial drugs, levofloxacin should be used only to treat or prevent infections that are proven or strongly suspected to be caused by bacteria (1.15).
1.1 Nosocomial Pneumonia
Levofloxacin tablets are indicated in adult patients for the treatment of nosocomial pneumonia due to methicillin-susceptible
Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Serratia marcescens, Escherichia coli,
Klebsiella pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, or Streptococcus pneumoniae. Adjunctive therapy should be used as clinically indicated. Where Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a documented or presumptive pathogen, combination therapy with an anti-pseudomonal -lactam is recommended
[see Clinical Studies (
14.1)].
1.2 Community-Acquired Pneumonia: 7 to 14 day Treatment Regimen
Levofloxacin tablets are indicated in adult patients for the treatment of community-acquired pneumonia due to methicillin-susceptible
Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pneumoniae (including multi-drug-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae [MDRSP]),
Haemophilus influenzae, Haemophilus parainfluenzae, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Moraxella catarrhalis, Chlamydophila pneumoniae, Legionella pneumophila, or Mycoplasma pneumoniae [see Dosage and Administration (2.1) and Clinical Studies (
14.2)].
MDRSP isolates are isolates resistant to two or more of the following antibacterials: penicillin (MIC 2 mcg/mL), 2nd generation cephalosporins, e.g., cefuroxime, macrolides, tetracyclines and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole.
1.3 Community-Acquired Pneumonia: 5-day Treatment Regimen
Levofloxacin tablets are indicated in adult patients for the treatment of community-acquired pneumonia due to
Streptococcus pneumoniae (excluding multi-drug-resistant isolates [MDRSP]),
Haemophilus influenzae, Haemophilus parainfluenzae, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, or Chlamydophila pneumoniae [see Dosage and Administration (
2.1) and Clinical Studies (
14.3)].
1.4 Complicated Skin and Skin Structure Infections
Levofloxacin tablets are indicated in adult patients for the treatment of complicated skin and skin structure infections due to methicillin-susceptible
Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis, Streptococcus pyogenes, or
Proteus mirabilis [see Clinical Studies (
14.5)].
1.5 Uncomplicated Skin and Skin Structure Infections
Levofloxacin tablets are indicated in adult patients for the treatment of uncomplicated skin and skin structure infections (mild to moderate) including abscesses, cellulitis, furuncles, impetigo, pyoderma, wound infections, due to methicillin-susceptible
Staphylococcus aureus, or Streptococcus pyogenes.
1.6 Chronic Bacterial Prostatitis
Levofloxacin tablets are indicated in adult patients for the treatment of chronic bacterial prostatitis due to
Escherichia coli, Enterococcus faecalis, or methicillin-susceptible
Staphylococcus epidermidis [see Clinical Studies (
14.6)].
1.7 Inhalational Anthrax (Post-Exposure)
Levofloxacin tablets are indicated for inhalational anthrax (post-exposure) to reduce the incidence or progression of disease following exposure to aerosolized Bacillus anthracis in adults and pediatric patients, 6 months of age and older [
see Dosage and Administration (
2.2)].
The effectiveness of levofloxacin tablets is based on plasma concentrations achieved in humans, a surrogate endpoint reasonably likely to predict clinical benefit.
Levofloxacin tablets have not been tested in humans for the post-exposure prevention of inhalation anthrax. The safety of levofloxacin tablets in adults for durations of therapy beyond 28 days or in pediatric patients for durations of therapy beyond 14 days has not been studied. Prolonged levofloxacin tablets therapy should only be used when the benefit outweighs the risk
[see Clinical Studies (
14.9
)].
1.8 Plague
Levofloxacin tablets are indicated for treatment of plague, including pneumonic and septicemic plague, due to Yersinia pestis
(Y. pestis) and prophylaxis for plague in adults and pediatric patients, 6 months of age and older
[see Dosage and Administration (
2.2)].
Efficacy studies of levofloxacin tablets could not be conducted in humans with plague for ethical and feasibility reasons. Therefore, approval of this indication was based on an efficacy study conducted in animals
[see Clinical Studies (
14.10)].
1.9 Complicated Urinary Tract Infections: 5-day Treatment Regimen
Levofloxacin tablets are indicated in adult patients for the treatment of complicated urinary tract infections due to
Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, or
Proteus mirabilis [see Clinical Studies (
14.7)].
1.10 Complicated Urinary Tract Infections: 10-day Treatment Regimen
Levofloxacin tablets are indicated in adult patients for the treatment of complicated urinary tract infections (mild to moderate) due to
Enterococcus faecalis, Enterobacter cloacae, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Proteus mirabilis, or Pseudomonas aeruginosa [see Clinical Studies
(14.8)
].
1.11 Acute Pyelonephritis: 5 or 10-day Treatment Regimen
Levofloxacin tablets are indicated in adult patients for the treatment of acute pyelonephritis caused by
Escherichia coli, including cases with concurrent bacteremia
[see Clinical Studies
(14.7,
14.8)].
1.12 Uncomplicated Urinary Tract Infections
Levofloxacin tablets are indicated in adult patients for the treatment of uncomplicated urinary tract infections (mild to moderate) due to
Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, or
Staphylococcus saprophyticus.
Because fluoroquinolones, including levofloxacin tablets, have been associated with serious adverse reactions
[see Warnings and Precautions (
5.1to
5.15
)]
and for some patients uncomplicated urinary tract infection is self-limiting, reserve levofloxacin for treatment of uncomplicated urinary tract infections in patients who have no alternative treatment
options.
1.13 Acute Bacterial Exacerbation of Chronic Bronchitis
Levofloxacin tablets are indicated in adult patients for the treatment of acute bacterial exacerbation of chronic bronchitis (ABECB) due to
methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, Haemophilus parainfluenzae, or Moraxella catarrhalis.
Because fluoroquinolones, including levofloxacin tablets, have been associated with serious adverse reactions
[see Warnings and Precautions (
5.1to
5.15
)]
and for some patients ABECB is self-limiting, reserve levofloxacin tablets for treatment of ABECB in patients who have no alternative treatment options.
1.14 Acute Bacterial Sinusitis: 5-day and 10 to 14 day Treatment Regimens
Levofloxacin tablets are indicated in adult patients for the treatment of acute bacterial sinusitis (ABS) due
to Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, or Moraxella catarrhalis [see Clinical Studies (
14.4)].
Because fluoroquinolones, including levofloxacin tablets, have been associated with serious adverse reactions
[see Warnings and Precautions (
5.1to
5.15)]
and for some patients ABS is self-limiting, reserve levofloxacin tablets for treatment of ABS in patients who have no alternative treatment options.
1.15 Usage
To reduce the development of drug-resistant bacteria and maintain the effectiveness of levofloxacin tablets and other antibacterial drugs, levofloxacin tablets should be used only to treat or prevent infections that are proven or strongly suspected to be caused by susceptible bacteria. When culture and susceptibility information are available, they should be considered in selecting or modifying antibacterial therapy. In the absence of such data, local epidemiology and susceptibility patterns may contribute to the empiric selection of therapy.
Culture and susceptibility testing
Appropriate culture and susceptibility tests should be performed before treatment in order to isolate and identify organisms causing the infection and to determine their susceptibility to levofloxacin
[see Microbiology (
12.4)] .
Therapy with levofloxacin tablets may be initiated before results of these tests are known; once results become available, appropriate therapy should be selected.
As with other drugs in this class, some isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa may develop resistance fairly rapidly during treatment with levofloxacin tablets. Culture and susceptibility testing performed periodically during therapy will provide information about the continued susceptibility of the pathogens to the antimicrobial agent and also the possible emergence of bacterial resistance.