Controlled randomized study comparing amoxycillin and pivmecillinam in adult out-patients presenting with symptoms of acute urinary tract infection.

A comparative study of amoxycillin and pivmecillinam was performed on 298 out-patients with acute urinary tract infection, receiving either 375 mg amoxycillin three times daily or 400 mg pivmecillinam three times daily. The primary cure rate was 90% in the pivmecillinam group compared to 82% in the amoxycillin group. Resistant enterobacteriaceae emerged in approximately 5% of patients receiving amoxycillin but not after treatment with pivmecillinam. No serious side effects were observed in patients receiving picmecillinam and the tolerance was generally good. Upper gastrointestinal side effects were more frequent in the pivmecillinam group whereas lower gastrointestinal side effects predominated in the amoxycillin group. 200 mg pivmecillinam three times daily compared with 400 mg three times daily showed no differences in cure rate and side effects were lower (11% compared to 19%).