Augmentin

(40th Annual Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy) Results of a multicenter trial demonstrated that Augmentin ES (a new high-dose formulation of amoxicillin-clavulanate [Augmentin]) was effective in eradicating between 95 and 100 percent of the three most common bacteria that cause middle ear infection in children (Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae and Moraxella catarrhalis), while maintaining the same safety profile as Augmentin. Augmentin ES was given to 521 children (ages three to 48 months) with middle ear infection twice daily for 10 days. Bacterial eradication was measured by repeat tympanocentesis (culturing middle ear fluid before and four to six days after initiating antibiotic therapy) in patients in whom S. pneumoniae was present. Results showed that Augmentin ES eradicated 97 percent of penicillin-resistant S. pneumoniae bacteria, 100 percent of penicillin-susceptible and intermediate-resistant S. pneumoniae bacteria, 95 percent of H. influenzae bacteria and 100 percent of M. catarrhalis bacteria, including drug-resistant strains. Symptoms of middle ear infections were improved or eliminated in approximately 93 percent of children with infection caused by S. pneumoniae alone or in combination with other bacteria, including more than 90 percent of patients with infection caused by drug-resistant S. pneumoniae. Clinical success was achieved in 90 percent of children with infection caused by H. influenzae, M. catarrhalis or Streptococcus pyogenes. Augmentin ES was well-tolerated, with the most commonly reported adverse events being diarrhea, vomiting, diaper rash and fever.--ALEJANDRO HOBERMAN, M.D., ET AL., University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

COPYRIGHT 2001 American Academy of Family Physicians
COPYRIGHT 2001 Gale Group