Doxycycline in respiratory tract infections. A review of a multi-centre trial.
A total of 256 patients were admitted in Germany into a Pan-European multi centre trial of doxycycline in the treatment of infections of the respiratory tract. The diagnoses showed a preponderance of lower respiratory tract infections compared with other European countries, due largely to the fact that the participating physicians were pulmonary or internal medicine specialists. Doxycycline was given in a dose of 200 mg initially followed by 100 mg daily for 5-10 days (only the occasional patient varied from this regimen). Side-effects were uncommon (2.5-3.5%) and affected only the gastrointestinal tract. Four patients had to change antibiotic therapy, not because of side-effects but because of possible bacterial resistance in these patients. The results were comparable with those from the rest of Europe: 88% of patients had a good or very good response. Nine patients were treated for longer than 14 days and only eight patients did not show improvement.
D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001991:Bronchitis / Q000188:drug therapy; D002648:Child; D002908:Chronic Disease; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004318:Doxycycline / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005260:Female; D005860:Germany, West; D006193:Haemophilus influenzae / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011014:Pneumonia / Q000188:drug therapy; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology; D013210:Staphylococcus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013296:Streptococcus pneumoniae / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013297:Streptococcus pyogenes / Q000302:isolation & purification
D004318:Doxycycline