title: Ampicillin and tetracycline in the treatment and prophylaxis of chronic bronchitis.
abstract: Ampicillin and tetracycline, in doses of 2 g a day, were compared in the treatment of acute exacerbations of chronic bronchitis. Seventy-nine patients were followed for 3 to 29 months and were treated for 118 exacerbations. Clinical improvement occurred after 10 days of treatment with either drug in over 80% of the cases. Haemophilus influenzae and Diplococcus pneumoniae were eradicated from the sputum more than 60% of the time, but in general there was a poor correlation between bacteriological clearing and clinical response. The effect of chemoprophylaxis with ampicillin and tetracycline in doses of 1 g a day on the frequency of acute exacerbations of bronchitis was compared with that of a placebo. Seven hundred eighty prophylactic regimens, consisting of one capsule every 12 hr for 5 days beginning with the first sign of a cold, were prescribed for 76 patients. Irrespective of the regimen, an acute exacerbation of bronchitis was encountered at approximately 13% of the follow-up visits to the clinic.
mesh_terms: D000667:Ampicillin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001991:Bronchitis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004341:Drug Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006193:Haemophilus influenzae / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013296:Streptococcus pneumoniae / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013752:Tetracycline / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000667:Ampicillin; D013752:Tetracycline