fusafungin and Nasopharyngitis

Upper respiratory tract infections are generally mild but they are associated with an enormous loss in productivity. Treatment consists of reduction of local symptoms e.g. local inflammation and prevention of potential superinfections. Besides its bacteriostatic activity against most micro-organisms involved in respiratory tract infections fusafungine displays original anti-inflammatory properties. To optimise nasal and throat deposition, a new fusafungine oro-nasal spray using HFA 134a was developed and its efficacy was evaluated in patients with acute rhinopharyngitis based on improvement of significant nasal symptoms. Three randomised double-blind placebo-controlled parallel-group studies with identical objectives design and dosage were performed and results were pooled for a better evaluation of treatment effect (532 patients). The percentage of responders (patients with nasal symptom score improvement from Day 0 to Day 4) was 61.5 +/- 2.9% with fusafungine vs 46.8 +/- 3.1% with placebo (p=0.009) with an odds ratio of 1.8 (p=0.01) in favour of fusafungine. The nasal symptom score distribution at Day 4 showed an odds ratio of 1.56 (p=0.011) also in favour of fusafungine. For patients treated early (onset of symptoms 1 pounds day) the percentage of responders was 65.9 +/- 4.1% with fusafungine vs 38.3 +/- 4.0% with placebo (p=0.022) with an odds ratio of 3.08 (p=0.033) in favour of fusafungine. Therefore fusafungine through its dual bacteriostatic and original anti-inflammatory properties is an effective treatment of acute rhinopharyngitis especially when administered early.

Topics: Acute Disease; Administration, Topical; Adult; Aerosols; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Depsipeptides; Double-Blind Method; Female; Fusarium; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Nasopharyngitis; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Treatment Outcome

The analysis in France, during the period 01/12/99 to 30/11/2000, of the prescription of systemic antibiotics in patients with rhinopharyngitis and of the variables statistically related to such prescriptions and the potential role of fusafungine in the form of a rhinopharyngeal spray.. A retrospective study, based on a panel of 1,010 general practitioners, in a cohort of 30,568 patients presenting with rhinopharyngitis. The fusafungine group consisted of 16,076 patients who had rhinopharyngitis and in whom fusafungine was prescribed. The control group consisted of 14,492 patients with rhinopharyngitis without prescription of fusafungine. The overall rate of antibiotic prescription was documented. A stepwise statistical analysis was conducted to specify the variables statistically associated with the prescription of a systemic antibiotic. The rate of prescription of a systemic antibiotic and the cost of the treatment were also compared within both groups.. The overall rate of systemic antibiotic prescription was 52.9%, falling from 60.4% in the group without fusafungine down to 46.2% in the group with fusafungine (p<0.01) whichever the systemic antibiotic prescribed. The stepwise analysis documented various variables that appear to be related to the systemic antibiotic prescription. A saving of 0.7 euros per prescription was noted in the fusafungine group.. Although various variables appear to influence systemic antibiotic prescription in patients with rhinopharyngitis, our study shows that prescription of fusafungine in spray from led to statistically significant reduction in systemic antibiotic prescription.

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Aerosols; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Child; Child, Preschool; Cohort Studies; Costs and Cost Analysis; Data Interpretation, Statistical; Depsipeptides; Drug Prescriptions; Female; Fusarium; Humans; Infant; Male; Middle Aged; Nasopharyngitis; Retrospective Studies