Search

Efficacy and safety of azithromycin and doxycycline for the treatment of moderate acne vulgaris were evaluated (240 patients) in both intention-to-treat and per-protocol populations. The evaluation of clinical efficacy was based on the change in the number of facial inflammatory lesions from baseline to the end of treatment, and noninferiority was defined by the upper 95% confidence limit of the difference between two treatments being less than 9. Reduction in the number of lesions was similar with both azithromycin and doxycycline treatments (27 +/- 12 and 30 +/- 12, respectively) in both groups. Also, the upper 95% confidence limit of 5 inflammatory lesions has satisfied the noninferiority criterion. The incidence of adverse events did not differ between the two treatment groups. The shorter and simpler treatment schedule of azithromycin had similar efficacy and safety as doxycycline in the treatment of moderate acne vulgaris, confirming noninferiority of azithromycin as compared with doxycycline.

A total of 89 patients, (>18 years), with symptoms of chronic prostatitis and inflammatory findings as well as the presence of Chlamydia trachomatis confirmed by DNA/RNA DIGENE hybridization method and/or by isolation, McCoy culture and Lugol stain in expressed prostatic secretion or in voided bladder urine collected immediately after prostatic massage, were examined. The patients were randomized to receive a total of 4.5 g of azithromycin for 3 weeks, given as a 3-day therapy of 1 x 500 mg weekly or ciprofloxacin 500 mg b.i.d. for 20 days. Patients' sexual partners were treated at the same time. Clinical and bacteriological efficacy were evaluated 4-6 weeks after the end of therapy. Significantly higher eradication (36/45: 17/44; P=0.0002) and a significantly higher clinical cure (31/45: 15/44; P=0.0021) were achieved in the group of patients treated with azithromycin than in the ciprofloxacin group.

One hundred ninety-two female patients with acute urethral syndrome caused by Ureaplasma urealyticum were examined. First, patients were divided into two groups: those with clinical symptoms present for less than 3 weeks before the start of treatment and those with clinical symptoms 3 weeks or longer before the beginning of therapy. The patients were then further divided into groups and randomized to receive azithromycin once daily in a single dose of 1 g or 500 mg once daily for 6 days, or to receive doxycycline 100 mg b.i.d. for 14 days or 100 mg b.i.d. for 7 days (eight study groups in all). Clinical and bacteriological efficacy were evaluated 3 weeks after the end of therapy. In the group of patients with disease symptoms lasting for 3 weeks or longer, eradication and clinical cure rates were significantly higher after the administration of azithromycin at a dose of 1 x 500 mg/6 days than after a single dose of 1 g (p < 0.001).