Nitrofurantoin as Effective as TMP-SMX for Acute Cystitis

Use of nitrofurantoin instead of trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMX) for acute cystitis can help address the increasing microbial resistance to the latter drug, according to a study published in Archives of Internal Medicine.
The study, partly sponsored by the nitrofurantoin manufacturer, compared treatment results in some 300 culture-positive women with uncomplicated cystitis with a variety of pathogens randomized to either 5 days of therapy with nitrofurantoin (100 mg twice daily) or 3 with TMP-SMX (one double-strength tablet twice daily). The groups' 30-day cure rates were equivalent.
Prescribing nitrofurantoin, the authors note, could prevent overuse of and resistance to fluoroquinolones, a frequently used alternative to TMP-SMX.