Cefixime versus trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole in treatment of patients with acute, uncomplicated lower urinary tract infections.

One hundred six patients with acute, uncomplicated lower urinary tract infections participated in a randomized study that compared cefixime (one 400-mg tablet once daily) with trimethoprim (160 mg)/sulfamethoxazole (800 mg) (one tablet every 12 hours). Two cefixime recipients and 3 patients given trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole had courses that were not evaluable for efficacy. At five to nine days post-therapy, 98 percent of the patients in each treatment group had clinical cure and bacteriologic eradication. At four to six weeks post-therapy, 87 percent (34/39) of the cefixime-treated patients and 83 percent (33/40) of those given trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole had clinical cure and 90 percent (35/39) and 93 percent (37/40) of the patients in the respective treatment groups had bacteriologic eradication. Adverse clinical experiences or changes in the results of laboratory tests were few. Thus, a once-daily dose of cefixime was as safe and as effective as a twice-daily regimen of trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole.