A WELL CONTROLLED COMPARATIVE STUDY ON CEFMETAZOLE AND CEFAZOLIN IN THE TREATMENT OF SUPPURATIVE OTITIS MEDIA

Abstract

Cefmetazole (CMZ) was compared to cefazolin (CEZ) for efficacy and safety in the treatment of suppurative otitis media (including acute otitis media and chronic otitis media in acute aggravating stage) under well controlled clinical trials.The therapeutic effects were analysed statistically in172 patients (82 administered CMZ, 90administered CEZ).The adverse reactions were also analyzed statistically in199patients (CMZ99, CEZ100) in whom the judgement was possible.
1.The efficacy rate of CMZ (72.3% for good to excellent response) was assessed by physicians in charge to be similar to that of CEZ (59.3%). This was the same being assessed by the committee, too (CMZ64.6%, CEZ56.7%)
2.When patients were classified into 2groups (acute otitis media, chronic otitis media in acute aggravating stage) with respect to diagnosis, statistically significant difference in clinical efficacy assessed by physiciants in charge was observed in the cases with chronic otitis media (CMZ, CEZ). In addition, the improvements of flares on the drum membrane and the mucous membrane of eardrum were significantly better in the CMZ group than in the CEZ group.
3.Bacteriologically, 16cases (19.8%) of S. aureus were resistant to CEZ, while only 1 case (1.2%) to CMZ.CMZ was judged to be effective in 5of the 6cases in which CEZ-resistant strains were detected.
4.Side effects were found in 2cases (2.0%) treated with CMZ: one complained of retching and abdominal pain and the other developed skin eruption. On the other hand, only1case (1.0%) developed skin eruption in the CEZ group.
These results suggest that CMZ is a new antibiotic agent which is highly valuable in the treatment of suppurative otitis media.