title: Efficacy and tolerance of roxithromycin versus clarithromycin in the treatment of lower respiratory tract infections.
abstract: In an open, randomized, parallel group study, the efficacy and tolerance of roxithromycin 300 mg po od was compared with clarithromycin 500 mg po bd in the treatment of 60 patients with lower respiratory tract infections (LRTI). The two groups were well-matched demographically. Fifty patients (25 per group) were clinically evaluable at the end of the study and a satisfactory response was found in 88% of those given roxithromycin and 80% of those given clarithromycin. All had received treatment for a minimum of 3 days. Only one (3.3%) of 30 patients in the roxithromycin group reported adverse events compared with seven (23.3%) of 30 in the clarithromycin group. Thus both roxithromycin and clarithromycin are effective in the treatment of LRTI but roxithromycin is better tolerated (P < 0.05) with the advantage of a once-daily dose.
authors.affiliation: Evangelismos Hospital, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tatsis
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tsoukalas
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Boulbasakos
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Platsouka
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Anagnostopoulou
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pirounaki
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Paniara
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sioula
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Raptis
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Saroglou
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017291:Clarithromycin / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D016905:Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016908:Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D015575:Roxithromycin / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D015575:Roxithromycin; D017291:Clarithromycin