Comparative trial of 3-day azithromycin versus 10-day coamoxilav course efficacy in acute sinusitis

• Published in: Terapevtic̆eskii arhiv Vol. 70; no. 5; p. 72
• Main Authors: Karpov, O I, Riabova, M A, Karpishchenko, S A, Zaĭtseva, A A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Russian
• Published: Russia (Federation) 1998
• Subjects: Acute Disease; Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Amoxicillin-Potassium Clavulanate Combination - administration & dosage; Amoxicillin-Potassium Clavulanate Combination - therapeutic use; Anti-Bacterial Agents - administration & dosage; Anti-Bacterial Agents - therapeutic use; Azithromycin - administration & dosage; Azithromycin - therapeutic use; Biopsy; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Radiography; Sinusitis - diagnostic imaging; Sinusitis - drug therapy; Sinusitis - pathology; Treatment Outcome
• ISSN: 0040-3660

To investigate the validity of a short-term course of azitromycin in acute sinusitis (AS). Comparison of clinical and bacteriological effects, tolerance of azitromycin and co-amoxiclav. 50 AS patients were given a single 500 mg daily dose of axitromycin for 3 days and 50 such patients received co-amoxiclav 625 mg 3 times a day for 10 days. The examination performed before the treatment, 72 hours, 10-12 and 26-30 days after its beginning assessed the presence of fever, head ache, pain at palpation at the site of the sinuses projection, nasal breathing and discharge. X-ray examination and microbiological analysis of the puncture biopsy from the nasal sinuses were conducted before treatment and on its day 10-12. On the treatment hour 72 and day 10-12 azitromycin efficiency was significantly higher than that of co-amoxiclav. Recovery on the treatment day 10-12 was registered in 41(82%) and 26(52%) patients, improvement--in 6(12%) and 21(42%), no effect--in 3(6%) and 2(4%) patients, respectively, for azitromycin and co-amoxiklav. On the treatment days 26-30, 45 and 43 patients recovered, respectively. The causative agents were mainly S.aureus and Str.pyogenes. Eradication of the pathogens in response to azitromycin occurred in 29, to co-amoxiclav in 18 patients. The latter caused side effects more frequently. Azitromycin vs. co-amoxiclav provides cure in acute sinusitis for a shorter time, is better tolerated and less toxic.