Long-term prophylaxis with norfloxacin versus nitrofurantoin in women with recurrent urinary tract infection.

A total of 102 women with recurrent urinary tract infections were included in this open randomized study; 55 received 200 mg of norfloxacin daily and 47 received 50 mg of nitrofurantoin daily over 6 months. Fifty-three and 41 women from the norfloxacin- and nitrofurantoin-treated groups, respectively, completed the 6-month follow-up period. Forty-four (81%) of the norfloxacin-treated patients and 27 (65%) of the nitrofurantoin-treated patients remained free of symptoms (P = 0.05), and urine samples from 49 (92.4%) and 29 (70.7%) of the patients, respectively, were sterile (P less than 0.005). Side effects occurred with similar frequencies in both groups (15 and 17%) but were more severe in the women who received nitrofurantoin. Despite the better results obtained with norfloxacin, the difference in the costs of the two agents must be considered.