Comparison of Dirithromycin and Penicillin for Treatment of Streptococcal Pharyngitis

Overview

Journal Antimicrob Agents Chemother

Publisher American Society for Microbiology

Specialty Pharmacology

Date 1997 Jan 1

PMID 8980757

Citations 6

Authors

V S Watkins

M Smietana

P M Conforti

G D Sides

W Huck

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

In the treatment of group A beta-hemolytic streptococcal pharyngitis, penicillin is the drug of choice and erythromycin is the alternative. In a double-blind, randomized study, dirithromycin, a new macrolide, was compared with penicillin for the treatment of streptococcal pharyngitis. Of 121 patients who were treated with dirithromycin, 96.7% manifested a favorable clinical response, and of 136 patients treated with penicillin, 94.2% manifested a favorable clinical response. Streptococci were eradicated from the pharynges of 85.3% of 116 dirithromycin-treated patients and 82.5% of 126 penicillin-treated patients who returned for follow-up. There were no statistically significant differences in efficacy between the two groups. The incidence of abdominal symptoms was higher in dirithromycin-treated patients. Being as efficacious as penicillin and having the advantages over erythromycin of once-daily dosing and the lack of drug interactions, dirithromycin is an alternative to penicillin in the treatment of streptococcal pharyngitis for patients 12 years of age and older.

Citing Articles

Different antibiotic treatments for group A streptococcal pharyngitis.

Hedin K, Thorning S, Van Driel M Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2023; 11:CD004406.

PMID: 37965935 PMC: 10646936. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD004406.pub6.

Time to negative throat culture following initiation of antibiotics for pharyngeal group A : a systematic review and meta-analysis up to October 2021 to inform public health control measures.

McGuire E, Li A, Collin S, Decraene V, Cook M, Padfield S Euro Surveill. 2023; 28(15).

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Different antibiotic treatments for group A streptococcal pharyngitis.

Van Driel M, De Sutter A, Thorning S, Christiaens T Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2021; 3:CD004406.

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Different antibiotic treatments for group A streptococcal pharyngitis.

Van Driel M, De Sutter A, Habraken H, Thorning S, Christiaens T Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2016; 9:CD004406.

PMID: 27614728 PMC: 6457741. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD004406.pub4.

Do physician outcome judgments and judgment biases contribute to inappropriate use of treatments? Study protocol.

Brehaut J, Poses R, Shojania K, Lott A, Man-Son-Hing M, Bassin E Implement Sci. 2007; 2:18.

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