IS PENICILLIN THE APPROPRIATE TREATMENT FOR RECURRENT TONSILLOPHARYNGITIS - RESULTS FROM A COMPARATIVE RANDOMIZED BLIND-STUDY OF CEFUROXIMEAXETIL AND PHENOXYMETHYLPENICILLIN IN CHILDREN

The efficacy of cefuroxime axetil compared with phenoxymethylpenicilli n (PcV) was studied in group A P-haemolytic streptococci (GAS) culture -proven tonsillitis in children aged 3-12 years with a history of at l east 1 episode of tonsillopharyngitis requiring antibiotic therapy dur ing the previous 3 months. This was a comparative, randomized, investi gator-blind, multicentre study. A total of 236 children received eithe r cefuroxime axetil suspension or PcV syrup. Inclusion criteria were a positive, rapid, group A strep test verified by bacteriological cultu re and clinical signs and symptoms of tonsillopharyngitis. Cefuroxime axetil treatment gave a significantly higher bacteriological eradicati on rate and clinical cure rate than PcV. At day 2-5 post treatment the eradication rates were 99/114 (87%) for cefuroxime axetil vs 61/109 ( 56%) for PcV (p < 0.001). The clinical cure rates were 98/114 (86%) an d 73/109 (67%) respectively (p < 0.01). Up to 21-28 days post-treatmen t, 9/114 (8%) cefuroxime axetil patients and 37/109 (34%) PcV patients were treatment failures or had recurrence/reinfection of GAS tonsillo pharyngitis (p < 0.001). More than 90% of the patients who experienced bacteriological treatment failure at either the first or second follo w-up had the same serotype isolated pre- and post-treatment. During th e study period, 21/114 (18%) patients in the cefuroxime axetil group a nd 50/109 (46%) patients in the PcV group received additional antibiot ics (p < 0.001). No serious adverse events were noted and the mild adv erse events were equally distributed among the patients in the 2 study groups: 15% for cefuroxime axetil and 14% for PcV.