title: Flurithromycin ethylsuccinate in the treatment of lower respiratory tract bacterial infections.
abstract: Efficacy and tolerability of flurithromycin ethylsuccinate were evaluated in lower respiratory tract infections. One hundred and ten patients (38 women, 72 men; age range 18-87 years) were treated with on 375 mg tablet 12-hourly for a mean duration of 8.7 days. One hundred and five patients were evaluable for efficacy. Overall clinical cure rate was 62.9%; improvement was recorded in 19% of patients for a total satisfactory clinical response rate of 81.9%. Sputum production decreased in most patients, being absent after treatment in 47% (only one patient was negative at baseline); sputum was purulent or mucopurulent in 80% of subjects before and in 20% after treatment. Bacteriological evaluation was possible in 72 patients: pathogen eradication was achieved in 80.2% of cases. Eight patients out of 110 reported adverse reactions, mainly gastrointestinal; in one case treatment had to be discontinued. These results demonstrate that flurithromycin ethylsuccinate is safe and effective in the treatment of lower respiratory tract infections.
authors.affiliation: University of Naples, Ospedale Monaldi, Italy.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bariffi
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Clini
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ginesu
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mangiarotti
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Romoli
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gialdroni-Grassi
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004917:Erythromycin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology; D013183:Sputum / Q000382:microbiology; D013492:Suppuration; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: C045925:flurithromycin; D004917:Erythromycin