Patient-directed treatment duration for acute pyelonephritis

Personalized Antibiotic Treatment in the Emergency Department: Panther Trial

Phase 4 Interventional University of Iowa · NCT06127160

This study is testing if letting women with acute pyelonephritis choose how long to take their antibiotic can be safe and effective compared to the usual 10-day treatment.

Quick facts

PhasePhase 4
Study typeInterventional
Enrollment40 (estimated)
Ages18 Years to 55 Years
SexFemale
SponsorUniversity of Iowa Academic / other
Locations2 sites (Sylmar, California and 1 other locations)
Trial IDNCT06127160 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this trial studies

This pilot study randomizes 40 female patients with acute uncomplicated pyelonephritis to receive either a standard 10-day course of cephalexin or a patient-directed antimicrobial duration (PDAD) approach. Patients in the PDAD group will take cephalexin for a minimum of 3 days and switch to placebo once they report 24 hours of symptom resolution. The study will assess feasibility and safety through daily evaluations using a mobile application and urine sample collections at specified intervals. The primary goal is to determine the viability of conducting a larger multi-center randomized controlled trial based on the findings.

Who should consider this trial

Good fit: Ideal candidates are females aged 18 to 55 diagnosed with acute uncomplicated pyelonephritis who can be treated with oral antibiotics.

Not a fit: Patients with complicated pyelonephritis, significant allergies to cephalosporins, or other serious medical conditions may not benefit from this study.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could empower patients to manage their treatment duration, potentially leading to improved outcomes and reduced antibiotic use.

How similar studies have performed: While this approach is innovative, similar studies exploring patient-directed treatment durations have shown promise in other conditions, suggesting potential for success.

Eligibility criteria

Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion:

* Females between 18 and 55 years of age
* Diagnosis of acute uncomplicated pyelonephritis
* Can be discharged home on oral antimicrobial treatment
* Ability to provide written informed consent in English or Spanish

Exclusion:

* Took antibiotics in the prior 48 hours
* Insulin-dependent diabetes
* End-stage liver disease
* If the patient reports a penicillin allergy, and is deemed to be high-risk using the penicillin allergy clinical decision rule (PEN-FAST)
* Serious allergy (e.g., angioedema, anaphylaxis) to the study medication or a similarly reported allergy to a cephalosporin
* Known or identified hydronephrosis, obstruction, or abscess identified by emergency department ultrasound
* Presence of a kidney stone
* Pregnancy or lactation
* Renal dysfunction (defined as creatinine clearance of less than 30 mL/min)
* Renal transplantation
* Complicated pyelonephritis (defined anatomical or functional abnormality of the urinary tract that predisposes to infection)
* Need for additional antimicrobial therapy for a coexisting infection
* Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, with either a recent (in the past 6 months) acquired immune deficiency syndrome-defining condition or a cluster of differentiation-4 (CD-4+) T lymphocyte count \<200/mm\^3

Where this trial is running

Sylmar, California and 1 other locations

Study contacts

How to participate

  1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
  2. Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
  3. Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.
Conditions Pyelonephritis Acutecephalexin
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.