Comparison of short-term treatment regimen of ciprofloxacin versus long-term treatment regimens of trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole or norfloxacin for uncomplicated lower urinary tract infections: a randomized, multicentre, open-label, prospective study.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the bacteriological and clinical efficacy of three treatments for uncomplicated cystitis in ambulatory pre-menopausal women: ciprofloxacin 250 mg orally twice daily for 3 days, trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole 160/800 mg orally twice daily for 7 days, and norfloxacin 400 mg orally twice daily for 7 days.


METHODS
A total of 455 women were randomly assigned to three treatment groups: 151 received ciprofloxacin, 150 received trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, and 154 received norfloxacin. Bacteriological cure and clinical resolution were evaluated 5-9 days and 4-6 weeks after completion of treatment.


RESULTS
There was no significant difference among the three treatment groups: overall efficacy ranged from 78.5% for the trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole group, to 84.5% for the ciprofloxacin group. The highest overall incidence of drug-related adverse effects occurred in the trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole patients.


CONCLUSIONS
These data indicate that a 3 day treatment with ciprofloxacin is at least as clinically and bacteriologically effective as 7 day treatments with trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole and norfloxacin for uncomplicated lower urinary tract infections.
Arredondo-García
José Luis
JL
Instituto Nacional de Perinatología, Mexico City, Mexico.
Figueroa-Damián
Ricardo
R
Rosas
Alejandro
A
Jáuregui
Arturo
A
Corral
Mauricio
M
Costa
Alexis
A
Merlos
Roberto Mauricio
RM
Ríos-Fabra
Antonio
A
Amábile-Cuevas
Carlos F
CF
Hernández-Oliva
Gerardo M
GM
Olguín
Jorge
J
Cardeñosa-Guerra
Oscar
O
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002939:Ciprofloxacin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007843:Latin America; D009643:Norfloxacin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017697:Premenopause; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013420:Sulfamethoxazole / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014295:Trimethoprim / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014552:Urinary Tract Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D002939:Ciprofloxacin; D014295:Trimethoprim; D013420:Sulfamethoxazole; D009643:Norfloxacin