[Acute cystitis in women with type 2 diabetes. Three antimicrobial schemes]

To compare the effectiveness and secondary effects of trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMX), ciprofloxacin, and nitrofurantoin in women with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2) and acute community-acquired cystitis.

A randomized single blind clinical trial was conducted in the family medicine clinic No. 91 of Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social in Coacalco, Mexico. The study included women with DM2 and acute cystitis who were randomly allocated to one of the following schemes: TMP-SMX (160/800 mg every 12 h), ciprofloxacin (500 mg every 12 h) or nitrofurantoin (100 mg every 6 h) for 10 days.

Sixty-one patients fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Bacteriologic eradication at the end of the treatment was observed in 18/23 (78 %) of patients treated with ciprofloxacin; 14/18 (78%) of patients treated with nitrofurantoin; and 9/20 (45 %) of patients treated with TMP-SMX (p = .036). The difference between nitrofurantoin and TMP-SMX, as well as between ciprofloxacin with TMPSMX, was 33 % for both (95 % confidence interval = 4 %, 62 %, and 5 %, 61 % , respectively). The most frequently isolated bacterium was Escherichia coli (75 %), The in vitro resistance rate to TMP-SMX was 76 %, to ciprofloxacin 17 % and to nitrofurantoin 13 % (p = 0.05). The main adverse effects were slight to moderate headache, nausea, and pyrosis in the three groups.

ciprofloxacin and nitrofurantoin were more effective than TMP-SMX for the treatment of community-acquired acute cystitis in Mexican women with DM2. This is probably due to differences in the resistance rates and is probably not specific for diabetic patients; All three antimicrobials were safe.