Treatment of acute urinary infection by norfloxacin or nalidixic acid/citrate: a multi-centre comparative study

The efficacy, tolerability and side effects of a 3-day treatment for acute urinary infection in general practice with norfloxacin (400 mg 12 hourly) or nalidixic acid/citrate (1 sachet 8 hourly) were compared in a randomized study. Patient groups had similar demography, symptomatology and initial infecting bacteria. Of the evaluable 55 patients in each treatment group with initial bacteriuria, 53 (96%) had no bacteriuria at immediate follow-up after treatment with norfloxacin and 45 (82%) with nalidixic acid/citrate. The corresponding rates at late follow-up were 40/45 (89%) and 29/43 (67%) (P less than 0.05). Among the bacteriuric patients a significantly greater proportion were recorded as having cured and improved symptoms. The tolerability of norfloxacin seemed to be better than that of nalidixic acid/citrate.