[Phlebitis due to intravenous administration of macrolide antibiotics. A comparative study of erythromycin versus clarithromycin]. / Flebitis relacionada con la administración intravenosa de antibióticos macrólidos. Estudio comparativo de eritromicina y claritromicina.

BACKGROUND: To know and to compare the incidence of phlebitis due to intravenous administration of macrolide antibiotics erythromycin and clarithromycin. PATIENTS AND METHOD: Non-randomized prospective study of consecutive patients who were diagnosed of community pneumonia and treated with intravenous macrolides (19 with erythromycin and 25 with clarithromycin). RESULTS: The cumulative incidence of phlebitis in patients treated with erythromycin was 78.9% (incidence rate of 0.40 episodes/patient-day) and in those treated with clarithromycin 76% (incidence rate of 0.35 episodes/patient-day). CONCLUSIONS: The risk of phlebitis is high and similar with intravenous administration of both macrolides.