Three-day antibiotic therapy in bacteriuria of old age.
A three day oral antibiotic course was given to 71 elderly bacteriuric subjects with no or only moderate mobility problems. Seven of 17 men (41%) and 34 of 54 women (63%) had strongly positive antibody coated bacteria (ACB) in the urine. Following sensitivity tests and randomization one of the following agents was given: cefadroxil 1 g tid (13 subjects): co-trimoxazole 160/800 mg bd (23 subjects); or norfloxacin 400 mg bd (35 subjects). One week after therapy urines were negative in 13 men (76.5%) and 37 women (68.5%). Patients who were fully mobile and/or were ACB(-) responded better than those with moderate mobility problems or who were ACB(+). At six months, urines were negative in six (40%) of 15 men and 15 (33.3%) of 45 women. Two men and six women of these 21 subjects had a positive urine at one month. Of the three agents tested cefadroxil was less effective in women. The study indicates that a three day course will clear bacteriuria in about 70% of patients at one week, but only about 25% will remain free of infection at six months; these are usually patients with adequate mobility and normal renal function.
Tzias
V
V
Centre for Studies of Age-Related Changes in Man, Athens, Greece.
Dontas
A S
AS
Petrikkos
G
G
Papapetropoulou
M
M
Dracopoulos
J
J
Giamarellou
H
H
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001437:Bacteriuria / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology; D002434:Cefadroxil / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005260:Female; D006115:Greece; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009643:Norfloxacin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012866:Skilled Nursing Facilities; D015662:Trimethoprim, Sulfamethoxazole Drug Combination / Q000627:therapeutic use
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D002434:Cefadroxil; D015662:Trimethoprim, Sulfamethoxazole Drug Combination; D009643:Norfloxacin