EFFICACY AND SAFETY OF AZITHROMYCIN VERSUS LYMECYLINE IN THE TREATMENT OF GENITAL CHLAMYDIAL INFECTIONS IN WOMEN

To compare the clinical and microbiological efficacy of azithromycin i n curing chlamydial infections in women with that of lymecycline, and with a view of the possibility of minimizing the problem of compliance by means of single-dose administration, 146 women with culture-positi ve Chlamydia trachomatis infections were randomly assigned to treatmen t with a Ig bolus dose of azithromycin or a 10-day course of lymecycli ne 300 mg twice daily. Clinical and microbiological evaluations were p erformed and adverse effects monitored at check-ups after 15-35 and 40 -65 days. Of the 146 patients enrolled in the study, 120 were evaluabl e, At the second check-up, C. trachomatis was found to have been eradi cated in all patients in both treatment groups. Of the 51 patients who had clinical signs and symptoms of genital infection at enrolment, 96 % (22/23) of those in the azithromycin group were considered cured (II = 18) or improved (n = 4), as compared with 100% (28/28) of those con sidered cured (n = 22) or improved (n = 6) in the lymecycline group. A dverse events related, or possibly related, to treatment were reported by 16 (21.6%) of the lymecycline group, but by only 6 (8.3%) of the a zithromycin group, The 2 drugs were comparable with regard to microbio logical and clinical efficacy in the treatment of genital chlamydial i nfection in women. The markedly lower rate of side-effects associated with azithromycin may be a feature conducive to patient compliance.