Villegas-Sánchez E, Lago-Acosta A, Parada-Tapia MG, González-de la Parra M

Language: Spanish
References: 15
Page: 305-311
PDF size: 632.08 Kb.

ABSTRACT

Background: The Breese Scale helps to clinically diagnose the possible ethiology of pharyngoamigdalitis due to Group A beta-hemolytic streptococcus. Penicillins are the antibiotic of choice and azithromycin is an alternative.
Objective: To demonstrate safety and efficacy of 3 days of azithromycin (total 3 doses) vs 10 days of amoxicillin/clavulanic acid (a total 30 doses) based on the Bresse scale and on remission of pain associated with acute pharyngoamigdalitis in children. Patients and method: Controlled, randomized, parallel-group, two arm study. Patients were evaluated according to the Breese Scale (scores over 30) prior to treatment. Parents were instructed to register the associated algid state measured over 10 days of treatment.
Results: Eighty-six patients between 1 and 14 years of age were included, 44 for the reference group and 42 for the trial group. Both treatments were well tolerated, and no adverse events were reported. The analysis of efficacy and average values on the Breese Scale, before and after treatment, were 31.2 and 21.3 for the reference group and 30.9 and 21.2 for the trial group with p=‹0.0001 for the time factor, indicating that both treatments lowered scores on the scale over time.
Conclusions: There was no significant difference between treatments; both groups achieved 100% efficacy. Kaplan-Meier analysis indicated that patients treated with azithromycin obtained faster pain relief associated with pharyngoamigdalitis (median time to pain relief = 5 days) than those treated with amoxicillin/clavulanic acid (median time to pain relief = 7 days); no adverse events were reported.

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