Five-day cefdinir course vs. ten-day cefprozil course for treatment of acute otitis media.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the clinical efficacy of a 5-day cefdinir course with a 10-day cefprozil course in the treatment of pediatric acute otitis media (AOM).


METHODS
Comparative, investigator-blinded multicenter trial.


METHODS
Primary care, ambulatory.


METHODS
Children ages 6 months through 12 years with clinical symptoms and tympanic membrane signs of AOM, plus tympanometric-confirmed middle ear effusion in at least 1 ear. Of the 435 patients enrolled in the study, 373 were evaluable.


METHODS
Patients received cefdinir 14 mg/ kg/day divided twice a day for 5 days or cefprozil 30 mg/kg/day divided twice a day for 10 days.


METHODS
Clinical resolution of tympanic membrane signs and symptoms of AOM determined at end of therapy on Study Days 9 to 11.


RESULTS
The clinical cure rate at end of therapy was 80% (152 of 190) for cefdinir-treated patients and 82.5% (151 of 183) for cefprozil-treated patients (95% confidence interval, 10.43% to 5.4%). Diarrhea and overall adverse reactions, respectively, occurred in 7.8 and 13% of cefdinir-treated patients and in 4.2 and 12% of cefprozil-treated patients.


CONCLUSIONS
A short course 5-day regimen of cefdinir was as clinically effective and well-tolerated as a 10-day regimen of cefprozil in the treatment of nonrefractory AOM.
Block
S L
SL
Kentucky Pediatric Research, Bardstown, USA.
Kratzer
J
J
Nemeth
M A
MA
Tack
K J
KJ
D000208:Acute Disease; D000077525:Cefdinir; D002511:Cephalosporins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D010033:Otitis Media / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D000097670:Cefprozil
D000077525:Cefdinir; D002511:Cephalosporins; D000097670:Cefprozil