Comparative trial of co-trimoxazole and tetracycline in the treatment of lower respiratory tract infection.

One hundred and twenty-six adult patients with acute lower respiratory infection were studied in a double-blind trial. One group was treated with co-trimoxazole (480 mg trimethoprim and 2400 mg sulphamethoxazole) per day and the other group with tetracycline 2 g per day. The results showed that co-trimoxazole was significantly more effective than tetracycline as judged by clinical improvement, and the reduction in sputum volume and purulence. No haematological abnormalities were observed, but the incidence of side-effects, though mostly mild, was higher in the group of patients on tetracycline than in the co-trimoxazole group. The results of this study strongly suggest that co-trimoxazole may be a useful and reliable drug in the treatment and control of acute lower respiratory tract infection in the developing countries.