Cefprozil versus cefaclor in the treatment of mild to moderate skin and skin-structure infections. The Cefprozil Multicenter Study Group.

In a multicenter study, 598 patients with skin or skin-structure infections were randomly assigned to receive 500 mg of cefprozil once daily (or 20 mg/kg once daily) or 250 mg of cefaclor three times daily (or 20 mg/kg daily in three equal doses) for 5 to 10 days. Treatment was evaluated in 212 cefprozil-treated patients and in 210 cefaclor-treated patients. The patients were aged 2 to 99 years (mean, 28 years) and their primary diagnoses were impetigo (in 99 patients), pyoderma (in 98), superficial abscess (in 70), and cellulitis (in 64). A satisfactory clinical response was found in 93% of the cefprozil-treated patients and in 92% of the cefaclor-treated patients, the pathogens were eradicated in 91% and 89%, and overall treatment was rated effective in 87% of both groups. Adverse clinical events were reported by 5% of the patients in both groups; one cefprozil-treated patient and three cefaclor-treated patients withdrew from treatment because of adverse events. It is concluded that cefprozil administered once daily is as effective and safe as cefaclor administered three times daily in the treatment of mild to moderate skin and skin-structure infections.