COMPARATIVE SAFETY AND EFFICACY OF CLARITHROMYCIN AND 3 ORAL CEPHALOSPORINS IN THE TREATMENT OF OUTPATIENTS WITH BACTERIAL BRONCHITIS DUE TO HAEMOPHILUS-INFLUENZAE

A pooled analysis of 3 double-blind randomised trials comparing clarit hromycin (500mg twice daily; n = 63) with either cefuroxime axetil (50 0mg twice daily), cefaclor (500mg 3 times daily) or cefixime (400mg on ce daily; total n = 72) in the treatment of bacterial bronchitis due t o Haemophilus influenzae was performed. For evaluable patients, succes sful clinical outcome (cure or improvement) was noted for 55 of 60 cla rithromycin-treated patients (92%) and 62 of 65 cephalosporin-treated patients (95%) [p = 0.479]. Clinically significant improvements in sig ns and symptoms were also comparable between treatment groups, as was eradication of H. influenzae, which occurred in 51 of 60 (85%) and 57 of 65 (88%) of clarithromycin and cephalosporin recipients, respective ly (p = 0.795). 22 patients in the clarithromycin group (35%) and 20 i n the cephalosporin group (28%) reported adverse events (p = 0.457). T he majority of these were mild or moderate in severity and were digest ive system-related in both groups. Thus, the new macrolide clarithromy cin appears to be effective and well tolerated in the treatment of pat ients with bacterial bronchitis caused by H. influenzae.