Comparative double-blind study of cephalexin and co-trimoxazole in urinary tract infections

Treatment with cephalexin 1 g twiec daily and cotrimoxazole 2 tablets twice daily was compared in a double-blind, randomised study of 100 women with urinary tract infections. CO-trimoxazole gave a significantly higher cure rate compared with cephalexin two and six weeks after the one-week course of treatment. The higher failure rate with cephalexin was not related to the age of the patient, presentation, pyelographic appearances, or type of organism in the initial infection. Among the failures all but one of the organisms were sensitive to cephalexin. With the dosage regimen and duration of treatment used in this study cotrimoxazole appears to be superior to cephalexin in the management of acute urinary infections.