Paper of the day - alternative cystitis drug effective

19 Nov 07

A total of 338 women aged 18 to 45 years with acute uncomplicated cystitis were randomised to one double-strength trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole tablet twice daily for three days of nitrofurantoin, 100 mg twice daily for five days.

Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole was clinically effective for 79% of patients, including 41% of women in whom a pathogen not susceptible to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole was isolated.

The overall cure rate in the nitrofurantoin group was 84%.

Archives of Internal Medicine 2007; 167:2207-12