title: Azithromycin, erythromycin and cloxacillin in the treatment of infections of skin and associated soft tissues. European Azithromycin Study Group.
abstract: Azithromycin (total dose 1.5 g) given orally in five or six doses over 5 days was compared with erythromycin and cloxacillin both given orally as 500 mg four times daily for 7 days in two multicentre studies of patients with skin and associated soft-tissue infections. Azithromycin eradicated baseline pathogen(s), mainly Staphylococcus aureus, in 89% compared with in 78%, of erythromycin-treated patients (P = 0.501) and in 78% compared with in 59% of cloxacillin-treated patients (P = 0.421). No statistically significant difference in clinical cure was reported between azithromycin (74%) and erythromycin (75%, P = 1.00) and between azithromycin (60%) and cloxacillin (47%, P = 0.301) treatment groups. The side-effects reported for azithromycin were mainly mild or moderate gastro-intestinal complaints and there were no major abnormalities in laboratory parameters. It is concluded that azithromycin was as effective as, but better tolerated than, either erythromycin or cloxacillin and short-course therapy may improve patient compliance.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Research, Pfizer Central Research, Sandwich, UK.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Daniel
mesh_terms: D000038:Abscess / Q000188:drug therapy; D000284:Administration, Oral; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017963:Azithromycin; D002481:Cellulitis / Q000188:drug therapy; D003023:Cloxacillin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004917:Erythromycin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007169:Impetigo / Q000188:drug therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012874:Skin Diseases, Infectious / Q000188:drug therapy*; D013207:Staphylococcal Skin Infections / Q000188:drug therapy; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000188:drug therapy
chemical_list: D004917:Erythromycin; D017963:Azithromycin; D003023:Cloxacillin