Single-dose versus traditional therapy for uncomplicated urinary tract infections.

In the treatment of uncomplicated urinary tract infection, single-dose therapy has appeared to be as efficacious as traditional 7-14 day therapy in women with cystitis without renal involvement. Current localizing techniques to differentiate between lower- and upper-tract disease are inadequate for routine clinical practice. As a result we have proposed that failure of cure with single-dose treatment may be the most specific test available to diagnose renal infection. Most of the published data on single-dose therapy involves treatment with either amoxicillin or trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. Single-dose therapy offers advantages over traditional therapy, including improved compliance, reduced adverse effects, and decreased cost. Appropriate patient selection is critical if the outcome of single-dose therapy is to be effective.