Comparison of cefuroxime and co-amoxiclav in the treatment of acute sinusitis in a sample of the Iranian population.

OBJECTIVES Acute sinusitis is a common upper respiratory tract infection worldwide, which can be severely complicated if inappropriate treatment is applied. The aim of this study was to assess and compare efficacy of cefuroxime and co-amoxiclav in the treatment of acute sinusitis in an Iranian sample population. METHODS A randomized clinical trial, comparing the efficacy of two oral antibiotics, cefuroxime and co-amoxiclav in the treatment of acute sinusitis, was conducted in 2007. A total of 99 patients were enrolled in the study. The clinical diagnosis of acute sinusitis was based on association of suborbital pain, purulent rhinorrhea and purulent discharge on the middle nasal meatus. All patients were also radiographically examined and their diagnoses were confirmed. Patients were randomly assigned to either receive 10 days of treatment with cefuroxime 250 mg twice daily (n=57) or receive co-amoxiclav 500/125 mg three times daily (n=42). Patients responses to treatment were assessed during and at the end of the treatment. RESULTS A satisfactory clinical outcome (cure or improvement of symptoms) was found in 86% (49/57) and 71.4% (30/42) of the clinically evaluable patients treated with cefuroxime or co-amoxiclav, respectively (p >0.05). CONCLUSIONS The findings of this study suggest that cefuroxime (twice daily) is comparably effective as co-amoxiclav (three times a day) in the treatment of patients with acute sinusitis.