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Twice daily dosing of erythromycin in the treatment of venereal chlamydial infections
Author(s) -
Lehtonen Lasse,
HirsjärviLahti Tuula,
WilenRosenqvist Gunilla
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
journal of the european academy of dermatology and venereology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.655
H-Index - 107
eISSN - 1468-3083
pISSN - 0926-9959
DOI - 10.1111/j.1468-3083.1992.tb00637.x
Subject(s) - medicine , dosing , erythromycin , chlamydial infection , antibiotics , pharmacology , virology , microbiology and biotechnology , chlamydia trachomatis , biology
Background. Tetracyclines are recommended as primary choice for the treatment of venereal chlamydial infections. Erythromycin has been used in high doses as an alternative. Erythromycin acistrate (EA) is a 2′‐acetyl ester prodrug of erythromycin that can be used in lower doses. Objective. To show the efficacy of EA 400 mg twice daily in the treatment of venereal chlamydial infections. Study design. A randomized, double‐blind parallel group study. Chlamydia‐positive patients were randomized to treatment with either EA or erythromycin stearate (ES) for 10 days. Follow up cultures were performed at 28 days after the start of therapy. The sexual consort was treated with erythromycin stearate. Subjects. A total of 151 patients participated (47 males, 104 females). Seventy‐two patients received EA and 79 ES. Intervention. EA (0.4 g) and ES (0.5 g) were given twice daily for 10 days. Results. The bacteriological cure rate was 98% in the EA group and 97% in the ES group. There were no statistically significant differences between the treatment groups. No patient discontinued the medication in either group, although 30% of the EA group and 27% of the ES group reported adverse effects, mainly transient gastrointestinal symptoms. Main outcome. Treatment with erythromycin acistrate or stearate twice daily is a simple and efficient alternative for the treatment of sexually transmitted chlamydial infection in both male and female patients.