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Intramuscular bipenicillin vs. intravenous penicillin in the treatment of erysipelas in adults: randomized controlled study
Author(s) -
Zeglaoui F,
Dziri C,
Mokhtar I,
Ezzine N,
Kharfi M,
Zghal M,
Fazaa B,
Kamoun MR
Publication year - 2004
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.1468-3083.2004.00938.x
Subject(s) - medicine , penicillin , erysipelas , intramuscular injection , randomized controlled trial , anesthesia , surgery , prospective cohort study , antibiotics , microbiology and biotechnology , biology
The objective of the study was to evaluate the efficacy of intramuscular penicillin: mixture of benzyl penicillin and procain penicillin (2 MU × 2 times daily) and intravenous benzyl penicillin (4 MU × 6 times daily) in the treatment of hospitalized adult patients with erysipelas. A prospective randomized unicentric trial was conducted. In total, 112 patients entered the study; 57 in the intramuscular group and 55 patients in the intravenous group completed the trial. The failure rate was 14% for intramuscular group and 20% for the intravenous group ( P = 0.40). Local complications such as of the leg abscesses were observed in the two groups (intravenous 9.1%, intramuscular 7%; P = 0477). Of the patients treated with intravenous benzyl penicillin, 25.5% presented complications related to the route (venitis). Intramuscular penicillin should be considered an effective and well‐tolerated treatment of erysipelas in adult patients.