hEALTH

PARANASAL SINUS

Sinusitis

Effectiveness of different antibiotics

The medication of acute sinusitis with an older, cheaper (first-line) antibiotic is as effective as with a newer, more expensive (second-line) antibiotic. 29,102 patients were treated with 17 different antibiotics: 60 % took an older antibiotic like amoxicillin, cotrimoxazole or erythromycin, while the rest obtained newer agents like clarithromycin or amoxicillin/clavulanate. In both groups, about 90 % of the treatments were effective.
The authors conclude that “patients treated with a first-line antibiotic for acute uncomplicated sinusitis did not have clinically significant differences in outcomes vs. those treated with a second-line antibiotic. However, cost of care was significantly higher for patients treated with a second-line antibiotic”.

Impact of first-line vs second-line antibiotics for the treatment of acute uncomplicated sinusitis.
Piccirillo JF, Mager DE, Frisse ME, Brophy RH, Goggin A.
JAMA 286: 1849-56 (2001).

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