Chlamydial cervicitis and urethritis: single dose treatment compared with doxycycline for seven days in community based practises.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the efficacy and safety of single 1 g oral azithromycin with doxycycline, 100 mg twice daily for seven days for treatment of uncomplicated urogenital chlamydial infection.


METHODS
Randomised, unblinded, comparative trial, involving 597 patients demonstrating clinical evidence of genital chlamydia and a positive non-culture assay for Chlamydia trachomatis.


RESULTS
Among the azithromycin- and doxycycline-treated patients 61% and 60%, respectively, were asymptomatic within one week after the first dose. At two weeks, these figures increased to 86% and 83%, respectively. Bacteriological eradication, based on a negative assay, occurred in 338 (97%) of 347 azithromycin-treated patients and 161 (99%) of 163 doxycycline-treated patients.


CONCLUSIONS
Treatment of uncomplicated chlamydial cervicitis and urethritis with single 1 g oral azithromycin is equivalent to standard therapy with doxycycline. Drug-related adverse events were approximately twice as common as previously reported for both drugs.
Thorpe
E M
EM
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Tennessee, Memphis 38104, USA.
Stamm
W E
WE
Hook
E W
EW
Gall
S A
SA
Jones
R B
RB
Henry
K
K
Whitworth
G
G
Johnson
R B
RB
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017963:Azithromycin / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D002690:Chlamydia Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002692:Chlamydia trachomatis; D004318:Doxycycline / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014526:Urethritis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology; D002575:Uterine Cervicitis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D017963:Azithromycin; D004318:Doxycycline