COMPARISON OF CLARITHROMYCIN SUSPENSION AND AMOXICILLIN SYRUP FOR THETREATMENT OF CHILDREN WITH PHARYNGITIS AND OR TONSILLITIS/

Twenty-three general practices in the UK randomised 229 paediatric pat ients (aged 1-12 I years, body weight >8 kg) with clinical evidence su ggestive of streptococcal tonsillitis and/or pharyngitis in this physi cian-blind study. Patients received either clarithromycin suspension ( 7.5 mg/kg twice daily) or amoxycillin syrup (125 mg/kg three times dai ly body weight <25 kg, or 250 mg/kg three times daily body weight 25 k g) for 7 days and were followed up 3-8 days post treatment and 21-28 d ays later. Clinical and microbiological assessments were made at each visit. A total of 189 patients (98 on clarithromycin and 91 on amoxyci llin) were clinically evaluable. At the post-treatment visit, clinical success rates were high and comparable: 98% on clarithromycin and 97% on amoxycillin. Streptococcus pyogenes was eradicated in 88% of clari thromycin patients and 86% of amoxycillin patients, Both treatments we re well tolerated, In conclusion, clarithromycin suspension was as saf e and at least as effective as amoxycillin syrup for the treatment of pharyngitis and/or tonsillitis in children, and would be a suitable al ternative therapy.