Comparison of trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole with penicillin and tetracycline in the treatment of uncomplicated gonorrhea in women.

In a collaborative prospective study 327 women with uncomplicated gonococcal cervicitis or proctitis were randomly assigned to one of four treatment groups: (1) aqueous procaine penicillin G, 4.8 million units IM in one session plus 1.0 g probenecide; (2) tetracycline HCI, 9 g over 4 days; (3) trimethoprim, 80 mg-sulfamethoxazole, 400 mg (TMP-SMX) six tablets once daily for 3 days; (4) TMP-SMX, six tablets wtice on 1 dat at a 6-hour interval. They were re-examined 4 to 8 days and 10 to 15 days after completion of therapy. There was no significant difference between the results of the four regimens in the 4- to 8-day period (P greater than 0.36). However, at the 2-week point the results of TMP-SMX given for 3 days were less effective (P smaller than 0.05) than those obtained by penicillin plus probenecid. There was no significant difference between the results of the other regimens at this latter period.