title: Comparative trial of co-trimoxazole and tetracycline in the treatment of lower respiratory tract infection.
abstract: One hundred and twenty-six adult patients with acute lower respiratory infection were studied in a double-blind trial. One group was treated with co-trimoxazole (480 mg trimethoprim and 2400 mg sulphamethoxazole) per day and the other group with tetracycline 2 g per day. The results showed that co-trimoxazole was significantly more effective than tetracycline as judged by clinical improvement, and the reduction in sputum volume and purulence. No haematological abnormalities were observed, but the incidence of side-effects, though mostly mild, was higher in the group of patients on tetracycline than in the co-trimoxazole group. The results of this study strongly suggest that co-trimoxazole may be a useful and reliable drug in the treatment and control of acute lower respiratory tract infection in the developing countries.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000188:drug therapy; D002648:Child; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004338:Drug Combinations; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D013420:Sulfamethoxazole / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013752:Tetracycline / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014295:Trimethoprim / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D004338:Drug Combinations; D014295:Trimethoprim; D013752:Tetracycline; D013420:Sulfamethoxazole