[An early switch from intravenous to oral antibiotics is equally effective as the standard intravenous therapy in severe community acquired pneumonia].

To compare an early switch from intravenous to oral antibiotics with the standard intravenous therapy in patients admitted to hospital with severe community acquired pneumonia. Multicentre randomised prospective trial with follow-up at 28 days. Patients with severe pneumonia who were admitted to hospital were randomised for 7 days intravenous antibiotic therapy (control group) or for an early switch to oral antibiotic therapy after 3 days of intravenous antibiotic therapy (intervention group). An intention-to-treat analysis was performed. The primary outcome measure was clinical cure. The length of hospital stay was a secondary outcome measure. Out of the 302 patients included in the trial, data was analysed from 265 patients. The mortality rate in the intervention group did not differ significantly from that of the control group (mean difference: 2%; 95% CI: -3-8). After 28 days, 83% of the patients in the intervention group and 85% in the control group were clinically cured (mean difference: 2%; 95% CI: -7-10). The length of hospital stay was 1.9 days shorter in the intervention group (95% CI: 0.6-3.2 days). An early switch from intravenous to oral antibiotics in patients admitted to hospital for severe community acquired pneumonia is safe and reduces the length of hospital stay by approximately 2 days.