Abstract
Objective: to assess the efficacy of benzathine penicillin(BP)for treating presumedly pneumococcal alveolar lobar/segmental pneumonia(ALSP)as compared to procaine penicillin(PP), in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais State, Brazil.
Methods: criteria inclusion were a)2-12 years old, b)clinical and radiological diagnosis of ALSP, c)no prior antibiotic and d)no severe concomitant disease. The BP and PP treatments were randomized in two groups and the regimens were one single dose of BP and seven days of PP. Efficacy was assessed by clinical and radiological improvement in the 7th and/or 14th day after admission. The interpretation of chest films were made in a blindness fashion. Statistical analysis included the Fischer's Exact Test (sign. level : .05).
Results: 116 patients had been included in the study; 63(54,3%)were allocated to BP and 53(45,7%)to PP groups. 90,5% of the patients in the BP group and 94,3% in the PP group presented clinical and radiologic improvements(p=.505).
Conclusions: a)BP treatment was as efficacious as PP treatment for ALSP in this study; b)due to high morbidity and mortality of pneumonia in the Third World, the low cost and excellent compliance of BP, this regimen may be an important alternative for internationally accepted PP regimen; c)more precise estimates with improved power will be generated by higher numbers as the study continues.
*supported by FINEP(Studies and Projects Financing Agency), Brazil
Article PDF
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Camargos, P., Guimaraes, M. & Ferreria, C. 114 BENZATHINE PENICILLIN IN ALVEOLAR LOBAR AND SECMENTAL PNEUMONIA: a controlled clinical trial(*). Pediatr Res 30, 647 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-199112000-00144
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-199112000-00144