Randomised comparison of amoxycillin and erythromycin in treatment of genital chlamydial infection in pregnancy

Association of Chlamydia trachomatis infection with pregnancy outcomes among Japanese pregnant women: The Japan environment and children's study

This study aimed to investigate the impact of Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) infection on pregnancy outcome in pregnant Japanese women. We utilized the data from a nationwide birth cohort study, the Japan Environment and Children's Study (JECS), for this study. We enrolled 26,385 individuals who could refer to data on pregnancy outcomes and confounding factors, with data on CT. Binominal logistic regression models were used to determine whether pregnant women with CT positivity were at more risk of experiencing adverse pregnancy outcomes, preterm birth (PTB), preterm prelabor rupture of membrane (pPROM), low birth weight (LBW) infants, small for gestational age (SGA) births, or hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP). After adjusting for maternal age, parity, marital status, smoking status, and education status, there were no significantly increased risks of PTB, pPROM, LBW infants, SGA, and HDP in the odds ratios. No significant increase in the risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes was observed in any of the subgroup analyses, which were limited to the pregnancy women in Fukushima prefecture, where CT screening could be confirmed at 28-30 weeks of gestation. We believe that the results of this study will make a significant contribution to the future of medical care for pregnant women in Japan. Our findings are important for medical practitioners to contribute to the future medical treatment of Japanese pregnant women, and also to contribute to pre-conception care for Japanese society as a whole, including pregnant women.

Chlamydia trachomatis Screening and Treatment in Pregnancy to Reduce Adverse Pregnancy and Neonatal Outcomes: A Review

Chlamydial trachomatis infection has been associated with adverse pregnancy and neonatal outcomes such as premature rupture of membranes, preterm birth, low birth weight, conjunctivitis, and pneumonia in infants. This review evaluates existing literature to determine potential benefits of antenatal screening and treatment of C. trachomatis in preventing adverse outcomes. A literature search revealed 1824 studies with 156 full-text articles reviewed. Fifteen studies were selected after fulfilling inclusion criteria. Eight studies focused on chlamydial screening and treatment to prevent adverse pregnancy outcomes such as premature rupture of membranes, preterm birth, low birth weight, growth restriction leading to small for gestational age infants, and neonatal death. Seven studies focused on the effects of chlamydial screening and treatment on adverse infant outcomes such as chlamydial infection including positive mucosal cultures, pneumonia, and conjunctivitis. Given the heterogeneity of those studies, this focused review was exclusively qualitative in nature. When viewed collectively, 13 of 15 studies provided some degree of support that antenatal chlamydial screening and treatment interventions may lead to decreased adverse pregnancy and infant outcomes. However, notable limitations of these individual studies also highlight the need for further, updated research in this area, particularly from low and middle-income settings.

Interventions for treating genital Chlamydia trachomatis infection in pregnancy

BACKGROUND

Genital Chlamydia trachomatis (C.trachomatis) infection may lead to pregnancy complications such as miscarriage, preterm labour, low birthweight, preterm rupture of membranes, increased perinatal mortality, postpartum endometritis, chlamydial conjunctivitis and C.trachomatis pneumonia.This review supersedes a previous review on this topic.

OBJECTIVES

To establish the most efficacious and best-tolerated therapy for treatment of genital chlamydial infection in preventing maternal infection and adverse neonatal outcomes.

SEARCH METHODS

We searched the Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Group's Trials Register, ClinicalTrials.gov, the WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (ICTRP) (26 June 2017) and reference lists of retrieved studies.

SELECTION CRITERIA

Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) as well as studies published in abstract form assessing interventions for treating genital C.trachomatis infection in pregnancy. Cluster-RCTs were also eligible for inclusion but none were identified. Quasi-randomised trials and trials using cross-over design are not eligible for inclusion in this review.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

Two review authors independently assessed studies for inclusion, assessed trial quality and extracted the data using the agreed form. Data were checked for accuracy. Evidence was assessed using the GRADE approach.

MAIN RESULTS

We included 15 trials (involving 1754 women) although our meta-analyses were based on fewer numbers of studies/women. All of the included studies were undertaken in North America from 1982 to 2001. Two studies were low risk of bias in all domains, all other studies had varying risk of bias. Four other studies were excluded and one study is ongoing.Eight comparisons were included in this review; three compared antibiotic (erythromycin, clindamycin, amoxicillin) versus placebo; five compared an antibiotic versus another antibiotic (erythromycin, clindamycin, amoxicillin, azithromycin). No study reported different antibiotic regimens. Microbiological cure (primary outcome) Antibiotics versus placebo: Erythromycin (average risk ratio (RR) 2.64, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.60 to 4.38; two trials, 495 women; I² = 68%; moderate-certainty evidence), and clindamycin (RR 4.08, 95% CI 2.35 to 7.08; one trial, 85 women;low-certainty evidence) were associated with improved microbiological cure compared to a placebo control. In one very small trial comparing amoxicillin and placebo, the results were unclear, but the evidence was graded very low (RR 2.00, 95% CI 0.59 to 6.79; 15 women). One antibiotic versus another antibiotic: Amoxicillin made little or no difference in microbiological cure in comparison to erythromycin (RR 0.97, 95% CI 0.93 to 1.01; four trials, 466 women; high-certainty evidence), probably no difference compared to clindamycin (RR 0.96, 95% CI 0.89 to 1.04; one trial, 101 women; moderate-quality evidence), and evidence is very low certainty when compared to azithromycin so the effect is not certain (RR 0.89, 95% CI 0.71 to 1.12; two trials, 144 women; very low-certainty evidence). Azithromycin versus erythromycin (average RR 1.11, 95% CI 1.00 to 1.23; six trials, 374 women; I² = 53%; moderate-certainty evidence) probably have similar efficacy though results appear to favour azithromycin. Clindamycin versus erythromycin (RR 1.06, 95% CI 0.97 to 1.15; two trials, 173 women; low-certainty evidence) may have similar numbers of women with a microbiological cure between groups.Evidence was downgraded for design limitations, inconsistency, and imprecision in effect estimates. Side effects of the treatment (maternal) (secondary outcome) Antibiotics versus placebo: side effects including nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain, were reported in two studies (495 women) but there was no clear evidence whether erythromycin was associated with more side effects than placebo and a high level of heterogeneity (I² = 78%) was observed (average RR 2.93, 95% CI 0.36 to 23.76). There was no clear difference in the number of women experiencing side effects when clindamycin was compared to placebo in one small study (5/41 versus 1/44) (RR 6.35, 95% CI 0.38 to 107.45, 62 women). The side effects reported were mostly gastrointestinal and also included resolving skin rashes. One antibiotic versus another antibiotic: There was no clear difference in incidence of side effects (including nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea and abdominal pain) when amoxicillin was compared to azithromycin based on data from one small study (36 women) (RR 0.56, 95% CI 0.24 to 1.31).However, amoxicillin was associated with fewer side effects compared to erythromycin with data from four trials (513 women) (RR 0.31, 95% CI 0.21 to 0.46; I² = 27%). Side effects included nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal cramping, rash, and allergic reaction.Both azithromycin (RR 0.24, 95% CI 0.17 to 0.34; six trials, 374 women) and clindamycin (RR 0.44, 95% CI 0.22 to 0.87; two trials, 183 women) were associated with a lower incidence of side effects compared to erythromycin. These side effects included nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea and abdominal cramping.One small study (101 women) reported there was no clear difference in the number of women with side effects when amoxicillin was compared with clindamycin (RR 0.57, 95% CI 0.14 to 2.26; 107 women). The side effects reported included rash and gastrointestinal complaints. Other secondary outcomes Single trials reported data on repeated infections, preterm birth, preterm rupture of membranes, perinatal mortality and low birthweight and found no clear differences between treatments.Many of this review's secondary outcomes were not reported in the included studies.

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS

Treatment with antibacterial agents achieves microbiological cure from C.trachomatis infection during pregnancy. There was no apparent difference between assessed agents (amoxicillin, erythromycin, clindamycin, azithromycin) in terms of efficacy (microbiological cure and repeat infection) and pregnancy complications (preterm birth, preterm rupture of membranes, low birthweight). Azithromycin and clindamycin appear to result in fewer side effects than erythromycin.All of the studies in this review were conducted in North America, which may limit the generalisability of the results. In addition, study populations may differ in low-resource settings and these results are therefore only applicable to well-resourced settings. Furthermore, the trials in this review mainly took place in the nineties and early 2000's and antibiotic resistance may have changed since then.Further well-designed studies, with appropriate sample sizes and set in a variety of settings, are required to further evaluate interventions for treating C.trachomatis infection in pregnancy and determine which agents achieve the best microbiological cure with the least side effects. Such studies could report on the outcomes listed in this review.

Chlamydia trachomatis Infection in Pregnancy: The Global Challenge of Preventing Adverse Pregnancy and Infant Outcomes in Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia

Screening and treatment of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in pregnancy represents an overlooked opportunity to improve the health outcomes of women and infants worldwide. Although Chlamydia trachomatis is the most common treatable bacterial STI, few countries have routine pregnancy screening and treatment programs. We reviewed the current literature surrounding Chlamydia trachomatis in pregnancy, particularly focusing on countries in sub-Saharan Africa and Asia. We discuss possible chlamydial adverse pregnancy and infant health outcomes (miscarriage, stillbirth, ectopic pregnancy, preterm birth, neonatal conjunctivitis, neonatal pneumonia, and other potential effects including HIV perinatal transmission) and review studies of chlamydial screening and treatment in pregnancy, while simultaneously highlighting research from resource-limited countries in sub-Saharan Africa and Asia.

Urogenital chlamydia infection in women: patient management tactics according to present-day foreign and Russian recommendations

The article present data on current approaches to laboratory diagnostics and treatment of urogenital chlamydia infection in women. According to Russian and foreign guidelines, azithromycin, josamycin and doxycycline monohydrate belong to the most efficient antimicrobial drugs for the treatment of urogenital chlamydia infection in non-pregnant women. As for the treatment of pregnant patients suffering from this pathology, azithromycin and josamycin are the most optimal drugs in terms of safety and treatment efficacy according to both Russian and foreign guidelines.

History of antibiotics. From salvarsan to cephalosporins

Infections have represented for a long time the leading cause of death in humans. During the 19th century, pneumonia, tuberculosis, diarrhea and diphtheria were considered the main causes of death in children and adults. Only in the late 19th century did it become possible to correlate the existence of microscopic pathogens with the development of various diseases. Within a few years the introduction of antiseptic procedures had begun to reduce mortality due to postsurgical infections. Sanitation and hygiene played a significant role in the reduction of the mortality due to several infectious diseases. The introduction of the first compounds with antimicrobial activity succeeded in conquering many diseases. In this review we analyzed, from a historical perspective, the development of antibiotics and the circumstances that led to their discovery. The first compound with antimicrobial activity was introduced in 1911 by Erlich. He focused his research activity on the discovery of a "magic bullet" to treat syphilis. Afterwards, Foley and colleagues brought penicillin to the forefront. Streptomycin represents the first drug discovered for the treatment of tuberculosis, and its development included the first use of clinical trials. Finally, with the development of cephalosporins, the introduction of new antimicrobial compounds with broad activity against gram-positive and also some gram-negative bacteria began.

Randomized trial of erythromycin and azithromycin for treatment of chlamydial infection in pregnancy

Objective: The purpose of this study was to compare erythromycin and azithromycin in the treatment of chlamydial cervicitis during pregnancy with regard to efficacy, side effects, and compliance.

Methods: In a prospective manner, 48 pregnant patients with cervical chlamydial infections diagnosed by routine screening tests were randomly assigned to receive either erythromycin, 500 mg q.i.d. for 7 days (N = 24), or azithromycin, 1 g as a one-time dose (N = 24). All sexual partners were given prescriptions for doxycycline, 100 mg b.i.d. for 7 days. The treatment efficacy was assessed by follow-up chlamydia testing 3 weeks after the therapy was completed. The side effects, intolerance to therapy, and overall compliance were evaluated by means of a standardized posttreatment questionnaire.

Results: There was no significant difference in cure rates noted between the erythromycin group and the azithromycin group (77% vs. 91%, respectively; P = 0.24). Gastrointestinal side effects were reported more frequently among patients treated with erythromycin compared with patients treated with azithromycin (45% vs. 17%, respectively; P = 0.004). The patients who received erythromycin reported intolerance to therapy secondary to side effects more frequently than patients who received azithromycin (23% vs. 4%, respectively; P = 0.07). Furthermore, the patients in the azithromycin group were more likely to complete their course of therapy as prescribed than the patients in the erythromycin group (100% vs. 61%, respectively; P = 0.002).

Conclusions: Azithromycin is efficacious and well tolerated for the treatment of chlamydial cervicitis in pregnancy. Erythromycin, though efficacious, is poorly tolerated, as demonstrated by the number of patients reporting significant side effects during the course of therapy. Since the cost of azithromycin is comparable to that of generic erythromycin, the present study supports the use of azithromycin as an alternative to erythromycin for the treatment of chlamydial cervicitis in pregnancy.

Treatment of genital Chlamydia trachomatis infection in pregnancy

This chapter gives a systematic review of the literature on treatment of Chlamydia trachomatis infections in pregnant women. The benefits of timely treatment of chlamydial infections in pregnant women are discussed. Antibiotic regimens commonly used for this purpose are identified. A meta-analysis based on randomized trials on pregnant women was performed to compare various antibiotic regimes in terms of microbiological cure, side-effects and tolerance. Data on safety related to the use of these antibiotics during pregnancy are summarized. Cost-effectiveness analyses on relevant antibiotic regimes for the treatment of uncomplicated chlamydial infection in women are identified. Their relevance and their shortcomings regarding the obstetric population are discussed. Treatment options for those who failed initial antibiotic treatment, as well as for the sexual partners of infected patients, are mentioned.

A randomized controlled trial comparing amoxicillin and azithromycin for the treatment of Chlamydia trachomatis in pregnancy

OBJECTIVE

Our goal was to compare the efficacy of azithromycin with that of amoxicillin for the treatment of Chlamydia trachomatis infection during pregnancy.

STUDY DESIGN

A randomized controlled trial of pregnant women with cervical C trachomatis infection receiving care at two inner-city, university-based prenatal clinics. Pregnant women were randomly assigned to receive either oral amoxicillin, 500 mg, three times daily for 7 days, or oral azithromycin, 1 g, in a single dose. Partners were referred for treatment. Tests of cure were scheduled 4 weeks after initiation of treatment. Statistical analysis was performed by using the Student t test and chi2 analysis.

RESULTS

One hundred twenty-nine pregnant women were enrolled, and 110 (85%) completed the protocol. There was similar treatment efficacy between amoxicillin and azithromycin (58% vs 64%, respectively,P =.56). In the amoxicillin group 3 women (5.5%) were intolerant, compared with 6 (10.9%) in the azithromycin group (P =.31).

CONCLUSION

Amoxicillin and azithromycin are equally efficacious in the treatment of cervical C trachomatis during pregnancy.

Treatment of Chlamydia trachomatis infections in pregnant women

The intent of this article is to provide an overview of the epidemiology and pharmacotherapy, including cost analyses, of Chlamydia trachomatis infections in pregnant women. Chlamydia is a common sexually transmitted infection. For pregnant women, there are concerns both for the mother (post-partum endometritis, horizontal transmission) and the newborn (conjunctivitis, delayed pneumonia). Therapeutic options are restricted because of the fetus and include multi-day treatment with erythromycin, amoxicillin, clindamycin or single dose azithromycin. Clinical cure rates with these options are 86, 92, 93 and 95%, respectively. Pharmacoeconomic analyses have been conducted to determine if the initial increase in acquisition cost of azithromycin (approximately 3-fold higher than erythromycin or amoxicillin) is offset by improvement in compliance and drug efficacy. Clindamycin has received little attention because of its expense (4-fold more than azithromycin). Analyses have been retrospective. As models incorporate more complications of failure to cure, azithromycin increasingly becomes more cost effective and is our recommended treatment.

Interventions for treating genital chlamydia trachomatis infection in pregnancy

BACKGROUND

Chlamydia trachomatis is a sexually transmitted infection. Mother-to-child transmission can occur at the time of birth and may result in ophthalmia neonatorum or pneumonitis in the newborn.

OBJECTIVES

The objective of this review was to assess the effects of antibiotics in the treatment of genital infection with Chlamydia trachomatis during pregnancy with respect to neonatal and maternal morbidity.

SEARCH STRATEGY

We searched the Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Group trials register and the Cochrane Controlled Trials Register (Cochrane Library issue 1, 1999).

SELECTION CRITERIA

Randomised trials of any antibiotic regimen compared with placebo or no treatment or alternative antibiotic regimens in pregnant women with genital Chlamydia trachomatis infection.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

Trial quality assessments and data extraction were done independently by two reviewers. Study authors were contacted for additional information.

MAIN RESULTS

Eleven trials were included. Trial quality was generally good. Amoxycillin appeared to be as effective as erythromycin in achieving microbiological cure (odds ratio 0.54, 95% confidence interval 0.28 to 1.02). Amoxycillin was better tolerated than erythromycin (odds ratio 0.16, 95% confidence interval 0.09 to 0.30). Clindamycin and azithromycin also appear to be effective, although the numbers of women included in trials are small.

REVIEWER'S CONCLUSIONS

Amoxycillin appears to be an acceptable alternative therapy for the treatment of genital chlamydial infections in pregnancy when compared with erythromycin. Clindamycin and azithromycin may be considered if erythromycin and amoxycillin are contra-indicated or not tolerated.