Comparative study of the effectiveness of cefixime and penicillin V for the treatment of streptococcal pharyngitis in children and adolescents.

An open label randomized trial conducted in rural Kentucky compared the efficacy and safety of cefixime (CFX), 8 mg/kg once daily, with those of penicillin V (PEN), 250 mg 3 times daily, in 110 pediatric patients with Group A beta-hemolytic streptococcal pharyngitis. Forty-eight CFX and 47 PEN patients were evaluable for efficacy. At the end of therapy bacteriologic eradication was 45 of 48 (94%) and 36 of 47 (77%) in the CFX and PEN V groups, respectively (P < 0.05). Up to 6 weeks posttherapy 10 (21%) CFX patients and 21 (45%) PEN patients had positive Group A beta-hemolytic Streptococcus cultures (P < 0.05). Concordant serotypes were identified from 4 of 7 CFX and 15 of 17 PEN patients with positive repeat cultures. All discordant serotypes (5 of 31) were identified at greater than 19 days posttherapy. Symptomatic treatment failures (concordant serotypes) occurred in 1 (2%) CFX and 8 (17%) PEN patients (P < 0.05). Drug-related adverse experiences consisted of 2 cases of mild diarrhea and loose stools in the CFX group and none in the PEN group. No clinically significant laboratory test abnormalities occurred in either group. CFX, once daily, was as safe as and significantly more effective than PEN given 3 times daily for the treatment of Group A beta-hemolytic streptococcal pharyngitis.