Comparison of short-term treatment regimen of ciprofloxacin versus long-term treatment regimens of trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole or norfloxacin for uncomplicated lower urinary tract infections: a randomized, multicentre, open-label, prospective study.

Author(s): Arredondo-Garcia JL, Figueroa-Damian R, Rosas A, Jauregui A, Corral M, Costa A, Merlos RM, Rios-Fabra A, Amabile-Cuevas CF, Hernandez-Oliva GM, Olguin J, Cardenosa-Guerra O, uUTI Latin American Study Group

Affiliation(s): Instituto Nacional de Perinatologia, Mexico City, Mexico.

Publication date & source: 2004-10, J Antimicrob Chemother., 54(4):840-3. Epub 2004 Sep 3.

Publication type: Clinical Trial; Multicenter Study; Randomized Controlled Trial

OBJECTIVE: To compare the bacteriological and clinical efficacy of three treatments for uncomplicated cystitis in ambulatory pre-menopausal women: ciprofloxacin 250 mg orally twice daily for 3 days, trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole 160/800 mg orally twice daily for 7 days, and norfloxacin 400 mg orally twice daily for 7 days. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 455 women were randomly assigned to three treatment groups: 151 received ciprofloxacin, 150 received trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, and 154 received norfloxacin. Bacteriological cure and clinical resolution were evaluated 5-9 days and 4-6 weeks after completion of treatment. RESULTS: There was no significant difference among the three treatment groups: overall efficacy ranged from 78.5% for the trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole group, to 84.5% for the ciprofloxacin group. The highest overall incidence of drug-related adverse effects occurred in the trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole patients. CONCLUSIONS: These data indicate that a 3 day treatment with ciprofloxacin is at least as clinically and bacteriologically effective as 7 day treatments with trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole and norfloxacin for uncomplicated lower urinary tract infections.