Efficacy of 5-day cefpodoxime proxetil for recurrent pharyngitis in adults. A comparative study with 10-day penicillin V or amoxycillin—clavulanate

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To compare the clinical and bacteriologic efficacy of a 5-day course of cefpodoxime proxetil (CPD) with that of a 10-day course of penicillin V (PNV) or amoxycillin---clavulanate (AMC) in recurrent pharyngitis in adults. A cost-effectiveness study (reported elsewhere) was carried out at the same time. METHODS: This multicenter, randomized, open label trial involved 580 adult patients consulting general practitioners for clinical recurrent pharyngitis (greater-than-or-equal3 episodes within the last 12 months) regardless of the bacterial etiology. Patients were treated for 5 days with CPD, 100 mg twice daily, or for 10 days with PNV, 1x106 IU three times a day, or for 10 days with AMC, 500 mg (amoxycillin) three times a day. Clinical and bacteriologic outcomes were noted at the end of treatment, and cases of clinical recurrence were recorded during a 6-month follow-up period. RESULTS: At the end of treatment, clinical response was satisfactory in 157 of 170 (92.3%) patients on CPD, 147 of 166 (88.5%) patients on PNV, and 168 of 177 (94.9%) patients on AMC. Group A beta-hemolytic streptococci (GABHS) were eradicated in 22 of 23 (95.65%) patients on CPD, 16 of 16 (100%) patients on PNV, and 19 of 20 (95%) patients on AMC. The rates of clinical success and GABHS eradication were not significantly different between the groups. Compliance (p<0.001) and tolerance (p<0.001) were significantly better in the CPD group than in the other two groups. Among the 389 patients evaluable 6 months after the end of treatment, the recurrence rate of acute pharyngitis (due to any bacterium) was significantly lower in the CPD group (p=0.01 versus PNV; p<0.01 versus AMC). A Kaplan---Meier analysis (469 patients over 6 months) of the rate of non-recurrence, with comparison by the log-rank test, also showed a significant difference in favor of CPD. CONCLUSIONS: A 5-day treatment of recurrent pharyngitis with CPD was as effective and better tolerated than a 10-day treatment with PNV or AMC. The risk of recurrence was lower with CPD.