Evaluation by children of the organoleptic features of twelve antimicrobial drug suspensions

The aim of this study was to assess children's acceptance of some commonly prescribed oral antibiotics. Sixty children (27 girls and 33 boys) aged 5 to 8 years were asked to participate in a single-blinded trial to rate 12 antimicrobial suspensions in terms of smell, taste and aftertaste. The scores of the medications in each category were analyzed and the drugs ranked according to the sum of these scores. In the overall assessment, Ceclor® was significantly more widely accepted than any of the other suspensions, ahead of Myoxam®, Hosboral® and Denvar®. Next, with higher scores than the remaining drugs, came Augmentine® and Zinnat®, followed by Pantomicina®, Vinzam®, Brisoral® and Bremon®. Finally, Biocef® and Josamina® received significantly lower scores than the rest of the antibiotics included in the study. It is concluded that these are significant differences in the approval ratings granted by children to oral antibiotic suspensions. Our results could be taken into account by pediatricians when prescribing these medications and by the laboratories that produce them for the purpose of improving the organoleptic features of those most widely rejected by this pediatric population.