Comparative study of azithromycin and amoxicillin/clavulanic acid in the treatment of lower respiratory tract infections
Forty-eight patients with acute bronchitis and four with pneumonia were randomly assigned to receive five doses (500 mg on day 1, plus 250 mg/day on days 2–5) of azithromycin; 54 patients with acute bronchitis and four with pneumonia were assigned 30 doses (625 mg every eight hours for ten days) of amoxicillin/clavulanic acid (CA). The two regimens were equally effective, with clinical improvement or cure in 92 % and 87 % of patients respectively, bacteriological cure in 89 % and 86 %, with 91 % and 89 % of pathogens eliminated. Minor side effects occurred in 6 % and 12 % of patients in the two groups, respectively. No major abnormalities in laboratory safety parameters were seen in either group.