A randomized double blind controlled trial comparing two amoxycillin regimens in the treatment of acute exacerbations
J B Bennett1, S J Crook, E J Shaw
1Academic Department of Respiratory Medicine, St. Bartholomew's Hospital West Smithfield, London, UK.
Abstract:
A randomized double blind trial comparing two amoxycillin regimens in the treatment of acute exacerbations of chronic bronchitis was performed. Forty-one patients were entered into the study. Twenty patients received amoxycillin sachets 3g twice daily for three days and 21 patients received amoxycillin capsules 500 mg three times daily for seven days. There was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of duration of hospital admission, reduction in sputum volume, clearance of pus from the sputum or the number of treatment failures. No patient developed unwanted effects from the treatment with high dose amoxycillin. Twenty-eight patients were followed for one year and there was no difference in the number of exacerbations experienced by patients treated with short course high dose therapy compared with low dose therapy. It is concluded that short course high dose amoxycillin may be as effective as conventional course amoxycillin in the treatment of acute exacerbations of chronic bronchitis.
