CINOXACIN PROPHYLAXIS FOR URINARY-TRACT INFECTIONS IN YOUNG-WOMEN - APROSPECTIVE, RANDOMIZED, DOUBLE-BLIND, PLACEBO-CONTROLLED TRIAL

Women with recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs) may benefit from continuous antimicrobial prophylaxis. The quinolone antibiotic cinoxac in has been shown to reduce the incidence of UTIs in high-risk women. This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial compared the s afety and efficacy of a 250-mg oral dose of cinoxacin or placebo, each administered in the evening for up to 6 months, in reducing the recur rence rate of UTIs in young women. Sixty women, with at least three do cumented UTIs in the past year and with two current negative urine cul tures, were enrolled. Clean-catch specimens were cultured monthly or w hen patients were symptomatic, then biweekly for 1 month after complet ion of therapy. Of the 55 evaluable patients, 5 (23%) of 22 in the pla cebo group and 22 (96%) of 23 in the cinoxacin group had a satisfactor y response (<10(5) colonies/mL on any urine culture and no symptoms; P <.0001). Cinoxacin prophylaxis was well tolerated; only 3 cinoxacin-tr eated patients withdrew from the study as a result of adverse events, compared with 2 patients who received placebo. Cinoxacin also extended the UTI-free interval to more than 6 months in the majority of patien ts.