Antibiotic and prednisolone therapy of erysipelas: a randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled study.

Abstract

112 patients admitted to hospital with a diagnosis of erysipelas, were randomized to 8 days treatment with prednisolone or placebo in addition to antibiotics. 108 patients received the study drugs and were evaluated for time to cure, which was the primary end-point. The median healing time was significantly shorter in the prednisolone group, 5 days, vs 6 days in the placebo group (p < 0.01). The 90th percentile healing time was 10.0 days in the prednisolone group vs 14.6 days in the control group. The prednisolone-treated patients had a median length of hospital stay (secondary end-point) of 5 days vs 6 for the placebo-treated (p < 0.01). The median treatment time with intravenous antibiotics (secondary end-point) was 4 days in the placebo group, which was 1 day longer than in the prednisolone group (p < 0.05). 13 patients, 7 of whom received placebo, relapsed during the observation period of 3 weeks. The frequency of side effects attributable to the study drug was not higher in the prednisolone group.

• Authors: P I Bergkvist, K Sjöbeck
• Journal: Scandinavian journal of infectious diseases (Scand J Infect Dis) Vol. 29 Issue 4 Pg. 377-82 ( 1997) ISSN: 0036-5548 [Print] England
• PMID: 9360253 (Publication Type: Clinical Trial, Journal Article, Randomized Controlled Trial, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Anti-Inflammatory Agents
• Penicillins
• Prednisolone

Topics

• Anti-Inflammatory Agents (administration & dosage, adverse effects, therapeutic use)
• Bacteremia (diagnosis)
• Double-Blind Method
• Drug Therapy, Combination
• Erysipelas (drug therapy)
• Female
• Hospitalization
• Humans
• Leukocyte Count
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Penicillins (administration & dosage, therapeutic use)
• Prednisolone (administration & dosage, adverse effects, therapeutic use)
• Recurrence
• Staphylococcal Infections (blood, diagnosis)
• Staphylococcus aureus (growth & development)
• Streptococcal Infections (blood, diagnosis)
• Streptococcus (growth & development)