[Clinical evaluation of lenampicillin in the treatment of superficial suppurative skin and soft tissue infection. A double-blind study comparing amoxicillin]

A double-blind controlled clinical study between lenampicillin (LAPC), a newly developed oral ampicillin (ABPC) prodrug, and amoxicillin (AMPC) was conducted for the treatment of suppurative skin and soft tissue Infection as grouped in 6 disease types. LAPC or AMPC were orally administered at a daily dose of 1,000 mg, in 4 equally divided doses. Each group was treated for 14 days. The results indicated that LAPC was equal to AMPC in evaluations of effectiveness and usefulness, although incidence of severe side effects was slightly lower in LAPC. The number of cases studied was 235 (115 in the LAPC group, 120 in the AMPC group). Among these, 10 patients (4 in LAPC, 6 in AMPC) were excluded and 12 patients (5 in LAPC, 7 in AMPC) dropped out. Final global improvement rating was evaluated in 213 patients (106 in LAPC, 107 in AMPC). General usefulness rating was evaluated in 215 patients (106 in LAPC, 109 in AMPC), and overall safety rating was evaluated in 231 patients (115 in LAPC, 116 in AMPC). Final global improvement rating of LAPC was, "cured", 55.7% and "cured" and "remarkably improved", 79.2%. The rate increased to 88.7% when "improved" was included. On the other hand, in the AMPC group, "cured" was 50.5%, and "cured" and "remarkably improved" was 76.6%. The rate increased to 91.6% when "improved" was included. No significant difference was found between the 2 drug groups. In overall safety rating of LAPC, "safe" was 93.9%, while in the AMPC group, "safe" was 94.0%. No significant difference was found between the 2 drug groups. Side effects were noted in 2 of 115 patients (1.7%) among the LAPC group and in 5 of 116 patients (4.3%) among the AMPC group. Incidence of severe side effects was slightly lower in LAPC (P less than 0.1). General usefulness rating of LAPC was, "remarkably useful", 56.6% and the rate increased to 86.8% when "useful" was included. In the AMPC group, "remarkably useful" was 51.4%, and increased to 84.4% when "useful" was included. No significant difference was found between the 2 drug groups.