Erythromycin in acute pharyngitis: a comparison of efficacy and patient tolerance of two twice-daily preparations.

Two hundred sixty-five adult and adolescent patients with possible streptococcal pharyngitis were treated with either erythromycin ethylsuccinate or an enteric-coated erythromycin in a twice-daily dosage schedule. In patients with group A beta-hemolytic streptococcal infection, both preparations achieved a cure rate of 93%. Patients receiving the enteric-coated erythromycin reported significantly more gastrointestinal adverse effects than did the patients receiving erythromycin ethylsuccinate.