amoxicillin-potassium-clavulanate-combination and Rhinitis--Allergic--Perennial

Clarithromycin and amoxicillin/clavulanate (A/C) are first line antibiotics used to treat uncomplicated acute rhinosinusitis (ARS). This study examined the efficacy of clarithromycin and A/C for the treatment of ARS relative to the patient's quality of life (QOL).. Twenty-two patients with uncomplicated ARS were randomly assigned treatment (single blinded relative to the investigator) using clarithromycin or A/C. Patients underwent assessment to confirm the diagnosis and treatment outcome at the initial screening and on completion of antibiotics (diagnosis + 14 days and 28 days). QOL was evaluated using the Allergy Outcomes Survey (AOS), the Rhinoconjunctivitis QOL Questionnaire (RQLQ), the Short Form 36 survey (SF-36), an instantaneous six-item Symptom Severity Survey (SSS-6), and a Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). Surveys were completed at the time of diagnosis, on completion of antibiotics, and at 28 days after diagnosis.. Twenty patients completed the study. The SSS-6 and the RQLQ demonstrated significant improvement for all patients at week 4 (P =.002 and P =.003, respectively). The SSS-6 demonstrated significant improvement for clarithromycin at 14 days (P =.02) and at 28 days (P =.029), whereas A/C patients demonstrated significant improvement in symptoms only at 28 days (P =.046). The RQLQ, which reflects the previous 2 weeks, demonstrated significant improvement for the A/C patients at 28 days (P =.01). The Allergy Survey, the SF-36, and the VAS failed to demonstrate significant improvement in the combined data analysis.. Clarithromycin and A/C were equally effective in treating ARS. The clarithromycin patients felt better more rapidly (at 14 days), but both groups of patients had long-term improvement in symptoms at 28 days.

Topics: Acute Disease; Amoxicillin-Potassium Clavulanate Combination; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Clarithromycin; Drug Therapy, Combination; Humans; Quality of Life; Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial; Severity of Illness Index; Single-Blind Method; Sinusitis; Surveys and Questionnaires

Previous studies have suggested that aggressive treatment of sinusitis can decrease bronchial hyperresponsiveness (BHR). However, there is still too little evidence to draw this conclusion, and the concept remains controversial.. A prospective, open-label study.. University children's hospital allergy and immunology center and radiologic department.. Sixty-one children with mild asthma and allergic rhinitis participated in the study. Forty-one of these 61 children had sinusitis, and the remainder had no sinusitis. Ten matched, nonatopic, healthy children were used as a control group.. Children with chronic sinusitis were placed into two groups. One group was treated with amoxicillin-clavulanate for 6 weeks and then with nasal saline solution irrigation for 6 weeks. For the other group, the treatment order was reversed. Children without chronic sinusitis received nasal saline solution irrigation for 12 weeks.. Clinical symptoms and signs of sinusitis, FEV(1), and BHR were analyzed in the patients before and after treatment.. The clinical symptoms and signs of sinusitis, but not FEV(1), showed a significant improvement after antibiotic treatment. After aggressive treatment for sinusitis, it was found that the provocative concentration of methacholine causing a 20% fall in FEV(1) of children with mild asthma and sinusitis was significantly higher after treatment.. The results suggest that every asthmatic patient needs to carefully evaluate to determine whether the patient has concomitant sinusitis. Respiratory infections that meet criteria for sinusitis, even if they do not exacerbate asthma, should be treated. It is suggested that sinusitis should always be kept in mind as a possible inducible factor for BHR, and that aggressive treatment of chronic sinusitis is indicated when dealing with an asthmatic patient who shows an unpredictable response to appropriate treatment. Moreover, the findings of this study provide more evidence for an association between sinusitis and asthma with respect to BHR.

Topics: Amoxicillin-Potassium Clavulanate Combination; Analysis of Variance; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Asthma; Bronchial Hyperreactivity; Bronchial Provocation Tests; Child; Chronic Disease; Female; Forced Expiratory Volume; Humans; Male; Prospective Studies; Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial; Sinusitis; Statistics, Nonparametric

Chronic rhinosinusitis is frequently associated with asthma. A Th2 cytokine pattern has been recently reported in chronic rhinosinusitis in asthmatic children.. To evaluate the effects of treating concomitant chronic rhinosinusitis on respiratory symptoms and function and immunopathological parameters in asthmatic children.. Eighteen children with moderate asthma (age range, 5 to 12 years) poorly controlled by high doses of inhaled corticosteroids and chronic rhinosinusitis were evaluated for symptoms, spirometry, and inflammation at baseline, after treatment, and 1 month after suspension of treatment. All of the children were treated with a combination of amoxicillin and clavulanate (20 mg/kg twice daily) and fluticasone propionate aqueous nasal spray (100 microg/d) for 14 days. A short course of oral corticosteroids was also prescribed (deflazacort, 1 mg/kg daily for 2 days, 0.5 mg/kg daily for 4 days, and 0.25 mg/kg daily for 4 days). Rhinosinusal lavage for cytokine measurements and a nasal scraping for cytologic analysis were performed in all patients before and after medical treatment.. A negative endoscopy result was demonstrated in 15 children after treatment. Symptoms and respiratory function significantly improved after treatment and 1 month later; 8 children had intermittent asthma and 10 had mild asthma. A significant reduction of inflammatory cell numbers was detected in all asthmatic children. Interleukin 4 levels significantly decreased (P < 0.001), whereas interferon-y levels increased (P < 0.001).. Treatment of chronic rhinosinusitis is able to improve symptoms and respiratory function in asthmatic children, reducing inflammatory cells and reversing the cytokine pattern from a Th2 toward a Th1 profile.

Topics: Amoxicillin-Potassium Clavulanate Combination; Androstadienes; Anti-Inflammatory Agents; Asthma; Child; Child, Preschool; Drug Therapy, Combination; Endoscopy; Female; Fluticasone; Forced Expiratory Volume; Humans; Interferon-gamma; Interleukin-4; Male; Neutrophils; Pregnenediones; Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial; Sinusitis