title: Roxithromycin versus penicillin in the treatment of erysipelas in adults: a comparative study.
abstract: A prospective, randomized, multicentre trial was conducted to evaluate the efficacy and safety of roxithromycin (150 mg b.i.d. orally) and penicillin (2.5 MU x 8 daily intravenously, then 6 MU daily orally) in the treatment of hospitalized adult patients with erysipelas. Seventy-two patients entered the study. Thirty-one patients in the roxithromycin group and 38 patients in the penicillin group completed the trial. The overall efficacy rates (cure without additional antibiotics) were 84% (26/31) in the roxithromycin group and 76% (29/38) in the penicillin group (P = 0.43). No side-effects were observed in the roxithromycin-treated patients whereas rashes occurred in two cases in the penicillin group, leading to exclusion from the study. Oral roxithromycin can thus be considered an effective and well-tolerated treatment for erysipelas in adult hospitalized patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, CHU Dupyutren, Limoges, France.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bernard
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Plantin
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Roger
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sassolas
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Villaret
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Legrain
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Roujeau
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Rezvani
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Scheimberg
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004886:Erysipelas / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010406:Penicillins / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D015575:Roxithromycin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013291:Streptococcus / Q000302:isolation & purification
chemical_list: D010406:Penicillins; D015575:Roxithromycin