title: [Clinical studies of azithromycin, a new macrolide antibiotic, for infections in the field of surgery].
abstract: The efficacy of a newly developed macrolide antibiotic, azithromycin, for infections in the field of surgery, was investigated clinically by means of collaborative studies conducted in 17 major institutes and their affiliated hospitals throughout Japan. The following results were obtained. Clinical assessment: Azithromycin was administered at a dose of 250 mg or 500 mg once a day for 3 days. Clinical efficacy was evaluated in 170 patients. These subjects consisted of 81 with superficial purulent diseases, 12 with mastitis, 25 with periproctal abscess, 42 with superficial secondary infection due to trauma, burn and operative wound, 5 with cholecystitis or cholangitis, and 5 with other infections. The clinical efficacy rate was 96.3% (78/81) for superficial purulent diseases, 83.3% (10/12) for mastitis, 84.0%(21/25) for periproctal abscess, and 76.2%(32/42) for superficial secondary infection due to trauma, burn and operative wound. The overall clinical efficacy rate was 88.8%(151/170) respectively. The bacteriological eradication rate was 87.9%(116/132) for gram-positive bacteria, 85.0%(34/40) for gram-negative bacteria, and 100%(63/63) for anaerobic strains of casual bacteria, which were isolated from 140 patients. The overall bacteriological eradication rate was 90.6%(213/235) respectively. Adverse effects were observed in 6 of 170 patients in whom they were evaluated. They consisted of gastrointestinal symptoms in 5 patients and exanthema in 1. Abnormal changes in clinical laboratory test values were observed in 5 patients, and consisted of eosinophilia in 1, elevations of S-GOT and S-GPT in 1, elevations of S-GOT, S-GPT and gamma-GTP in 1, elevation of S-GPT in 1, and elevations of AL-P and gamma-GTP in 1. These results suggest that azithromycin is very useful for surgical infections in the field of surgery.
authors.affiliation: 3rd Department of Surgery, Nihon University School of Medicine.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Nakayama
mesh_terms: D000038:Abscess / Q000188:drug therapy; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D017963:Azithromycin / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008413:Mastitis / Q000188:drug therapy; D008875:Middle Aged; D012002:Rectal Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy; D012874:Skin Diseases, Infectious / Q000188:drug therapy*; D013492:Suppuration / Q000188:drug therapy; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D017963:Azithromycin