Is seven days of erythromycin estolate as effective as fourteen days for the treatment of Bordetella pertussis infections?
A total of 168 participants were eligible for analysis (74 treated for 7 days and 94 treated for 14 days). Bacteriological persistence (positive end of therapy culture) occurred once in each group, and bacteriological relapse (positive culture 1 week after completion of treatment) occurred in one participant treated for 7 days. The overall failure rate (persistence plus relapse) of 2.70% in the 7-day group was not different than the rate of 1.06% in the 14-day group. The study had a power of 99.99% at the 5% level to detect a difference in failure rates of 10% and a power of 80% to detect a difference of 5%. We conclude that 7 days of erythromycin estolate is as effective as 14 days for the eradication of B pertussis.
Grade II pielocalicial dilations with renal pelvis lesser than 15 mm can be echographically controlled without renal scan. It should be performed only if renal dilation increases.