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Quality of Life in Treatment of Acute Rhinosinusitis with Clarithromycin and Amoxicillin/Clavulanate
Author(s) -
Rechtweg Jay S.,
Moinuddin Rizwan,
Houser Steven M.,
Mamikoglu Bulent,
Corey Jacquelynne P.
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
the laryngoscope
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.181
H-Index - 148
eISSN - 1531-4995
pISSN - 0023-852X
DOI - 10.1097/00005537-200405000-00003
Subject(s) - clarithromycin , medicine , amoxicillin , sinusitis , antibiotics , quality of life (healthcare) , roxithromycin , sss* , allergy , surgery , erythromycin , immunology , nursing , microbiology and biotechnology , biology , helicobacter pylori
Objectives: Clarithromycin and amoxicillin/clavulanate (A/C) are first line antibiotics used to treat uncomplicated acute rhinosinusitis (ARS). This study examined the efficacy of clarithromycin and A/C for the treatment of ARS relative to the patient's quality of life (QOL). Study Design: Twenty‐two patients with uncomplicated ARS were randomly assigned treatment (single blinded relative to the investigator) using clarithromycin or A/C. Patients underwent assessment to confirm the diagnosis and treatment outcome at the initial screening and on completion of antibiotics (diagnosis + 14 days and 28 days). QOL was evaluated using the Allergy Outcomes Survey (AOS), the Rhinoconjunctivitis QOL Questionnaire (RQLQ), the Short Form 36 survey (SF‐36), an instantaneous six‐item Symptom Severity Survey (SSS‐6), and a Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). Surveys were completed at the time of diagnosis, on completion of antibiotics, and at 28 days after diagnosis. Results: Twenty patients completed the study. The SSS‐6 and the RQLQ demonstrated significant improvement for all patients at week 4 ( P = .002 and P = .003, respectively). The SSS‐6 demonstrated significant improvement for clarithromycin at 14 days ( P = .02) and at 28 days ( P = .029), whereas A/C patients demonstrated significant improvement in symptoms only at 28 days ( P = .046). The RQLQ, which reflects the previous 2 weeks, demonstrated significant improvement for the A/C patients at 28 days ( P = .01). The Allergy Survey, the SF‐36, and the VAS failed to demonstrate significant improvement in the combined data analysis. Conclusions: Clarithromycin and A/C were equally effective in treating ARS. The clarithromycin patients felt better more rapidly (at 14 days), but both groups of patients had long‐term improvement in symptoms at 28 days.