Bacterial vaginosis: treatment with topical intravaginal clindamycin phosphate.

We tested topical intravaginal clindamycin phosphate at concentrations of 0.1, 1.0, and 2.0% in the treatment of 62 women with symptomatic bacterial vaginosis in a prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, and offered open-label treatment with 1.0% clindamycin to patients with persistent disease after blinded treatment. Blinded intravaginal clindamycin phosphate treatment cured bacterial vaginosis in 93.5% (43 of 46) of patients 4-7 days after therapy, compared with 25.0% (four of 16) of patients receiving placebo (P less than .001). One month later, 89.7% (35 of 39) of those who initially responded to clindamycin treatment showed persistent cure. There were no significant side effects.