CEFPROZIL VERSUS CEFACLOR IN THE TREATMENT OF BRONCHITIS IN THE ELDERLY

In a prospective, randomised, nonblinded, multi-investigator trial, ce fprozil 500 mg twice daily was compared with cefaclor 500 mg 3 times d aily, both administered orally for 10 days for episodes of bronchitis. A total of 247 patients aged 65 years or older with mild to moderate acute bronchitis or exacerbations of chronic bronchitis were treated i n 30 in- and outpatient clinical sites in Europe and North America. Of these, 104 patients did not have a defined bacterial pathogen in pret reatment sputum cultures. Among the 143 other patients, Haemophilus in fluenzae, Streptococcus pneumoniae and Moraxella (Branhamella) catarrh alis were the most frequently isolated bacteria. There was a satisfact ory clinical response to treatment in 119 of 156 cefprozil-treated pat ients (84%) and in 63 of 91 (82%) of those treated with cefaclor. Erad ication of the presumed bacterial pathogen occurred in 74 of 89 (83%) cefprozil-treated patients and 35 of 42 (83%) cefaclor-treated patient s. Both cefprozil and cefaclor were well tolerated, with possible drug -related adverse reactions in only 16 of 156 (10%) cefprozil-treated p atients and 10 of 91 (11%) cefaclor-treated patients. Thus, in these c linical trials cefprozil was shown to be a safe, well-tolerated and ef fective treatment for episodes of bronchitis in elderly patients.