title: Evaluation of roxithromycin (RU-965) versus cephradine in pneumococcal pneumonia.
abstract: One hundred and sixty black South African gold miners with acute pneumococcal pneumonia were enrolled in a prospective randomized double-blind trial comparing roxithromycin (150 mg 2 X day) with cephradine (1.0 g 2 X day). Ninety patients with pneumonia caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae were treated for 5-10 days. Forty-three of 46 (93.4%) of the roxithromycin and all 44 (100%) of the cephradine treated groups had satisfactory clinical responses. In eight of the 46 (17%) roxithromycin treated patients and 10 of the 44 (23%) cephradine treated patients, Streptococcus pneumoniae was not eradicated from sputum cultures by the tenth day. Side effects in 18 patients (20%) were mild and were usually manifested by elevation of the transaminases; these were more common in the cephradine group (12) than in the roxithromycin group (5). Roxithromycin appears to be a safe and effective oral antibiotic for treatment of patients with mild to moderate pneumococcal pneumonia.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D044383:Black People; D002511:Cephalosporins / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002515:Cephradine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D006801:Humans; D007933:Leucomycins / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy; D011018:Pneumonia, Pneumococcal / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011897:Random Allocation; D013019:South Africa; D013183:Sputum / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D002511:Cephalosporins; D007933:Leucomycins; D002515:Cephradine