Comparison of cefaclor and amoxycillin in the treatment of urinary infections in a chronic disease hospital.

The clinical efficacy and safety of cefaclor, a new oral cephalosporin, was compared with that of amoxycillin in the treatment of lower urinary tract infections in 61 patients with chronic non-urinary tract disease. Thirty-six patients received cefaclor and 25 received amoxycillin doses of 250 mg every 8 hours for 7 to 10 days. The therapeutic effectiveness of cefaclor was significantly better than that of amoxycillin, and it appeared to be well tolerated and free of adverse side effects. It produced no allergic reactions in 4 patients with a history of penicillin allergy and was effective against Klebsiella strains resistant to the ampicillins. There was no evidence of any haematological, renal or hepatic toxicity from either drug at the dosage used.