[Efficacy of cefotiam hexetil in acute maxillary sinusitis, with a short five day vs ten day treatment]

The aim of this multicentric, randomized, double blind study with direct individual benefit, was to compare two therapeutic regimens of cefotiam hexetil administration, 5 days vs 10 days, in acute maxillary sinusitis.

The study was conducted in ambulatory patients treated by general practitioners according to AFSAPS (French agency for sanitary safety) guidelines for treatment of acute maxillary sinusitis. Five hundred and fifty three GPs included 1042 patients presenting with acute maxillary sinusitis in the study from December 2000 to July 2001. Patients were randomly treated with cefotiam hexetil 200 mg bid over a 5 day period followed by 5 days of placebo, or with cefotiam hexetil 200 mg bid over a 10 day period.

No significant difference was noted in each treatment group. Radiography performed in 72.2% of included patients confirmed the diagnosis in 78.8% of the cases. No significant difference occurred in the number and percentage of cured patients. In the ITT analysis (1018 patients) the clinical cure rates were respectively 85.5% and 85.3% in the 5 day and in the 10 day treatment groups, In the PP analysis (800 patients) the clinical cure rates were respectively 88.6% in each group. The low incidence of adverse effects (3.36%) was confirmed in both groups.

A 5 day course of cefotiam hexetil 200 mg bid is as effective as a 10 day course in the treatment of acute maxillary sinusitis in adults.