title: Short-course treatment of sinusitis and other upper respiratory tract infections with azithromycin: a comparison with erythromycin and amoxycillin. European Azithromycin Study Group.
abstract: In two randomized, multicentre studies patients with upper respiratory tract infections treated with 1.5 g azithromycin in five or six doses over 5 days were compared with patients treated with 10 g erythromycin in 40 doses over 10 days or 15 g amoxycillin in 30 doses over 10 days. The majority of azithromycin- (65%) and erythromycin- (67%) treated patients in the azithromycin/erythromycin study and all patients in the azithromycin/amoxycillin study had sinusitis. Clinical cure was recorded in 83% of azithromycin- and 79% of erythromycin-treated patients, and in 81% and 87%, respectively, of azithromycin- and amoxycillin-treated patients. There was no significant difference in bacteriological eradication between the treatments. Adverse events, predominantly mild or moderate gastro-intestinal complaints, occurred in 17% and 15%, respectively, of azithromycin- and erythromycin-treated patients, and in 5% and 11%, respectively, of azithromycin- and amoxycillin-treated patients but there were no serious laboratory safety abnormalities. Azithromycin appeared to be an effective, simplified treatment for upper respiratory tract infections and may improve patient compliance compared with standard therapies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Research, Pfizer Central Research, Sandwich, UK.
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Felstead
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Daniel
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000658:Amoxicillin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017963:Azithromycin; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004352:Drug Resistance, Microbial; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004917:Erythromycin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012852:Sinusitis / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D004917:Erythromycin; D000658:Amoxicillin; D017963:Azithromycin