A comparison of chloramphenicol, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, and doxycycline with doxycycline alone as maintenance therapy for melioidosis

A prospective, open, randomized, comparative treatment trial was conducted to compare the therapeutic efficacy of the conventional four-drug combination (chloramphenicol, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, and doxycycline) with that of doxycycline alone in oral maintenance treatment of melioidosis. Adul...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Wipada Chaowagul, Andrew J.H. Simpson, Yupin Suputtamongkol, Michael D. Smith, Brian J. Angus, Nicholas J. White
Other Authors: Sappasitthiprasong Hospital
Format: Article
Published: 2018
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Online Access:https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/123456789/25768
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Institution: Mahidol University
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Summary:A prospective, open, randomized, comparative treatment trial was conducted to compare the therapeutic efficacy of the conventional four-drug combination (chloramphenicol, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, and doxycycline) with that of doxycycline alone in oral maintenance treatment of melioidosis. Adult Thai patients with culture-confirmed melioidosis were randomized to receive treatment with either regimen for a minimum of 12 weeks, usually following intravenous treatment of severe disease. The main outcome measure was culture-confirmed relapse. One hundred sixteen patients were enrolled; 109 had culture-confirmed melioidosis, and 87 were considered evaluable (43 had received doxycycline). Culture-confirmed relapse occurred in one patient randomized to the conventional regimen and in 11 (25.6%) randomized to the doxycycline regimen (P= .009), and treatment failed for 8 (18.2%) versus 20 (46.5%), respectively (P = .009). Adverse effects occurred in 26% of patients overall. Doxycycline alone cannot be recommended for a first-line regimen of oral maintenance treatment of melioidosis.