Background and Objectives: We compared two common antibiotic regimens for the treatment of mild to moderate CAP: levofloxacin versus β-lactam and macrolide combination; in terms of their efficacy and side effects. Materials and Methods: Patients with mild to moderate CAP were randomized into two groups. Group I received a combi- nation of 1 gram ceftriaxone daily and 500 mg azithromycin daily for 5-7 days. Group II received levofloxacin 750 mg daily for five days. The signs and symptoms, hospitalization length, and the side effects were investigated. Results: There were 77 and 74 patients in groups I and II. The vital signs of group II were significantly better on the 3rd day of admission, except for the temperature (P=0.09). The O saturation of group II was markedly improved on the 5th  day of admission (P=0.0061). In terms of clinical symptoms and hospitalization length, group II was considerably better. However, the rate of side effects in both groups was similar (P=0.885). Conclusion: Hospitalized patients with mild to moderate CAP might take more advantage of fluoroquinolone administra- tion. It could improve the patients' signs and symptoms and reduce hospitalization length, compared with the combination of macrolide and cephalosporin, with the same rate of side effects.

Context: Pituitary adenomas are amongst the most common tumors with a low mortality rate compared to other intracranial malignancies. Delayed hyponatremia (DH) is a common finding after transsphenoidal resection (TSS), which is the basis for the management of these tumors. Although DH is one of the leading causes of readmission after TSS, no unified guidelines exist with regard to the prevention of this electrolyte disturbance. Objectives: This study aims to evaluate and compare existing preventive protocols for DH in order to identify and signify their common grounds. Methods: After a search in electronic databases, including PubMed (NCBI), Embase, Scopus, and Google Scholar with the keywords of “pituitary adenoma,” “hyponatremia,” “transsphenoid surgery”, “water electrolyte balance,” “patient readmission", six original articles were included in the study. Results: We found that a protocol that both identifies groups susceptible to DH (males, older individuals, and those with a lower BMI) and consists of fluid restriction, sodium supplementation, and regular serum sodium monitoring could be utilized to prevent DH in patients with pituitary adenomas after TSS. Conclusions: Further studies with a larger sample size must be conducted to compare existing protocols for preventing DH and also investigate post-surgery optimal fluid-restricted diets and corticosteroid therapy in these patients.

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