Nimesulide and antibiotics in the treatment of acute infections of the respiratory tract

Abstract

A double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was carried out in 45 hospitalized adult patients requiring antibiotic therapy for acute or chronic respiratory tract infection to compare the effectiveness of antibiotic treatment alone or with the concomitant use of nimesulide, a new non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agent. Patients were allocated at random to receive antibiotic treatment plus either nimesulide (100 mg twice daily) or placebo over a period of 15 to 23 days. The results showed that the patients in the nimesulide group had significantly greater and more rapid improvement in signs and symptoms such as chest pain, cough, oropharyngeal hyperaemia, asthenia, as well as osteoarticular pain in those arthrosis-affected patients, than those treated with antibiotic plus placebo. Treatment was well-tolerated and very few, mild side-effects were reported.