A double-blind study of cefaclor and amoxycillin in home and hospital-acquired infections.

Eighty-seven patients admitted to hospital for a variety of reasons and who had, or subsequently developed, an infection were treated with either cefaclor or amoxycillin, 150 mg 3-times daily, on a double-blind basis. Two patients were excluded from te final analysis as the infecting organisms would normally be resistant to both antibiotics. Forty (93%) patients treated with cefaclor and 40 (95.2%) treated with amoxycillin responded satisfactorily. Of the patients with a hospital-acquired infection, 93.3% of the cefaclor group and 94.3% of the amoxycillin group responded satisfactorily. The differences between the groups were not significant. A greater number of organisms were sensitive to cefaclor, confirming its broader spectrum of activity. It is concluded that cefaclor is a useful first-line antibiotic which could be particularly useful in hospital-acquired infections.