Palatability of oral antibiotics among children in an urban primary care center

Objective: To evaluate the palatability of antimicrobial agents effective against beta-lactamase-producing bacteria in American children. Design: In a taste test of 4 antimicrobial agents, azithromycin (cherry flavored), cefprozil (bubble gum flavored), cefixime (strawberry flavored), and amoxicillin-clavulanic acid (banana flavored) were compared. Setting: An urban inner-city primary care clinic. Subjects: A volunteer sample of 30 healthy children (aged 5-8 years). Intervention: Palatability was determined using a single-blind taste test of 4 flavored antimicrobial agents. The 4 antimicrobial agents used were azithromycin, cefprozil, cefixime, and amoxicillin-clavulanic acid. Main Outcome Measures: After each antimicrobial test dose, subjects rated the taste on a 10-cm visual analog scale incorporating a facial hedonic scale. Preference assessments for the best-tasting and worst-tasting agent were also conducted. Results: Of the 20 children who expressed a preference, significantly more children (9 [45%], P<.05) selected the cefixime preparation as the best-tasting formulation compared with the other preparations. The cefixime preparation was also significantly the least likely to be selected as the worst-tasting preparation (2 [10%], P<.05). There were no significant differences between the other 3 preparations with respect to being selected as either the best or worst tasting. The mean (+/-SD) visual analog scale score for cefixime was highest (8.53 [2.49]) compared with the scores for azithromycin (6.78 [3.45]), cefprozil (6.26 [4.04]), and amoxicillin-clavulanic acid (6.24 [4.01]). Conclusion: The cefixime preparation was most commonly rated as best tasting by children.