[Acute cystitis in women over 50 years of age. Efficacy of pefloxacin with single dose and norfloxacin for 10 days].

This multicentre, open, randomized trial, involving 482 patients and conducted by private practitioners, compared the effectiveness and safety of a single 800 mg dose of pefloxacin and of a 10 days' course of norfloxacin 400 mg bid. in the treatment of uncomplicated acute cystitis in women aged over 50 years. Clinical effectiveness was evaluated on days 17-19 and 28-32 respectively, and bacteriological effectiveness on days 15-17 and 26-28 respectively. The median time taken for the symptoms to disappear was 2 days with pefloxacin and 3 days with norfloxacin (P < 0.001). Irrespective of the nature of cystitis and the patients' age, no significant difference could be found in eradication of the pathogens. Undesirable side-effects were recorded in 7.8 percent of patients under pefloxacin and in 8.8 percent of those under norfloxacin (P = 0.68); gastrointestinal disorders were predominant. The acceptability of treatment, as judged by the patients themselves, was regarded as excellent by 55 percent of women treated with single dose pefloxacin and by 37.6 percent of those treated with norfloxacin (P = 0.001).