Mr. Spence et al., THE MINIMUM SINGLE ORAL METRONIDAZOLE DOSE FOR TREATING TRICHOMONIASIS - A RANDOMIZED, BLINDED STUDY, Obstetrics and gynecology, 89(5), 1997, pp. 699-703
Objective: To identify the minimum effective single oral dose of metro
nidazole for trichomoniasis. Methods: Women attending an inner-city se
xually transmitted disease clinic who had Trichomonas vaginalis vagini
tis diagnosed by microscopy were recruited for this randomized, double
-blind study. Subjects were given a 0.5-, 1-, 1.5-, or 2-g single oral
dose of metronidazole, taken under direct observation. Demographic in
formation, symptoms, and clinical findings were collected from patient
interviews, and physical examinations were conducted at the time of e
nrollment and at the follow-up visit. The primary outcome measure was
treatment success at the follow-up visit, established by negative cult
ure and microscopy. Results: Three (1.8%) of the 167 women enrolled we
re excluded because of vomiting after taking metronidazole, and 66 (40
%) of the 164 remaining subjects did not return for the follow-up visi
t. No associations were found between the proportion of subjects lost
to follow-up and the characteristics of these subjects across assignme
nt groups. The treatment success ratio was highest in subjects who rec
eived the 1.5-g dose (23, 85%), followed by the 2-g (16, 84%), 1-g (18
, 62%), and the 0.5-g dose (8, 35%). Conclusion: A single 1.5-g dose o
f metronidazole has efficacy equivalent to a single 2-g dose for the t
reatment of T vaginalis vaginitis. (C) 1997 by The American College of
Obstetricians and Gynecologists.