title: Trimethoprim-sulphamethoxazole in the treatment of persistent diarrhoea: a double blind placebo controlled clinical trial.
abstract: The efficacy of an absorbable antimicrobial agent trimethoprim-sulphamethoxazole (TMP-SMX) in the management of children with persistent diarrhoea was evaluated in a double blind, randomised, and placebo controlled trial. Of the 55 patients studied, 28 received TMP-SMX, and 27 received placebo. A trend in stool weight reduction was observed from the third day after the drug was started, and the reduction was statistically significant on day 6 and day 7. However, the difference in total stool output (g/kg) up to day 7 was not significantly different between the two groups. The proportion of children whose diarrhoea resolved by day 7 (therapeutic success) was significantly more in the treatment group compared with the placebo group (23 v 15). Additionally, mean duration of diarrhoea in the group that received TMP-SMX was less compared with the placebo group (6.0 v 8.3 days); this difference, however, was not significant. Hospital infection (probably nosocomial infection) was significantly less in the TMP-SMX treated group (1 v 10). The results of our study indicate that TMP-SMX has a clinical benefit in respect of reducing the stool output, and higher recovery rate within seven days of treatment. In addition, it prevented possible hospital acquired infection.
authors.affiliation: International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh.
authors.forename: N H
authors.initials: NH
authors.lastname: Alam
authors.forename: P K
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Bardhan
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Haider
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mahalanabis
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000517:prevention & control; D003672:Defecation / Q000187:drug effects; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013997:Time Factors; D015662:Trimethoprim, Sulfamethoxazole Drug Combination / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D015662:Trimethoprim, Sulfamethoxazole Drug Combination