CLINICAL EFFECTIVENESS OF AZITHROMYCIN VERSUS CIPROFLOXACIN IN THE TREATMENT OF UNCOMPLICATED ENTERIC FEVER IN CHILDREN;
ABSTRACT Objective: To compare the clinical effectiveness of oral azithromycin with oral ciprofloxacin in the treatment of uncomplicated enteric fever in children. Material and Methods: A randomized controlled trial was carried out in the Pediatric department of Khyber Teaching Hospital for which a sample size of 282 patients was determined using WHO calculator with 5% level of significance and 80% power of test (Two sided). Non-probability consecutive sampling technique was used for selection of children age 6 to 18 years and either gender. They were divided into two groups (141 in each) where Group A was treated with oral azithromycin while Group B with ciprofloxacin for 7 days. Clinical effectiveness was determined when the patient remained afebrile for more than 48 hours without antipyretics. Results: In group A, 128 children (90.78%) while in Group B, 105 (74.46%) children become clinically cure. Conclusion: Oral Azithromycin is more effective than oral Ciprofloxacin in the treatment of typhoid fever in children.