Cefaclor in treatment of otitis media and pharyngitis in children
S. E. McLinn
The safety and efficacy of cefaclor were compared with amoxicillin
trihydrate in the treatment of 130 cases of otitis media, and with
penicillin V potassium in 88 cases of streptococcal pharyngitis in two
single-blind controlled studies. Patients with otitis media received
approximately 40 mg/kg/day of cefaclor or amoxicillin trihydrate for ten
days to three weeks; patients with pharyngitis received 20 mg/kg/day of
cefaclor or penicillin V potassium for ten days. Overall, patients who
received cefaclor for otitis media had fewer acute failures and better
total success, especially in cases caused by Haemophilus influenzae;
however, the difference between cefaclor and amoxicillin was not
statistically significant. There also was no significant difference between
the clinical effectiveness of cefaclor and penicillin in the treatment of
streptococcal pharyngitis. Cefaclor was well tolerated with no serious side
effects.
