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Mary L. Angelilli, MD; Michael Toscani, PharmD; Doreen M. Matsui, MD; Michael J. Rieder, MD, PhD

Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2000;154:267-270.

Objective  To evaluate the palatability of antimicrobial agents effective against -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.

From the Divisions of General Pediatrics and Clinical Pharmacology, Children's Hospital of Michigan, Wayne State University, Detroit (Dr Angelilli); Hastings Healthcare Group, Pennington, NJ, and the College of Pharmacy, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ (Dr Toscani); and the Children's Hospital of Western Ontario, University of Western Ontario, London (Drs Matsui and Rieder).

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