title: Efficacy of oral ciprofloxacin vs. clarithromycin for treatment of acute bacterial exacerbations of chronic bronchitis. The Bronchitis Study Group.
abstract: In this prospective, multicenter, double-blind study, the efficacy of ciprofloxacin was compared with that of clarithromycin as therapy for patients with acute bacterial exacerbations of chronic bronchitis (ABECB) from whom a pretherapy pathogen was isolated; the efficacy was measured by the infection-free interval. Clinical and microbiological responses at the end of therapy were secondary efficacy variables. Patients randomly received either ciprofloxacin or clarithromycin (500 mg twice a day for 14 days). Three hundred seventy-six patients with acute exacerbations of chronic bronchitis were enrolled in the study of whom 234 had an ABECB. Clinical resolution was observed in 90% (89 of 99) of ciprofloxacin recipients and 82% (75 of 91) of clarithromycin recipients for whom efficacy could be evaluated. The median infection-free interval was 142 days for ciprofloxacin recipients and 51 days for clarithromycin recipients (P = .15). Bacteriologic eradication rates were 91% (86 of 95) for ciprofloxacin recipients and 77% (67 of 87) for clarithromycin recipients (P = .01). In summary, compared with clarithromycin, treatment of ABECB with ciprofloxacin was associated with a trend toward a longer infection-free interval and a statistically significantly higher bacteriologic eradication rate.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterans Affairs Outpatient Clinic, Boston, Massachusetts 02114, USA.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chodosh
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schreurs
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Siami
authors.forename: H W
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Barkman
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Anzueto
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shan
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Moesker
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Stack
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kowalsky
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001991:Bronchitis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D002908:Chronic Disease; D002939:Ciprofloxacin / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017291:Clarithromycin / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003257:Consumer Product Safety; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D002939:Ciprofloxacin; D017291:Clarithromycin