Ontology highlight
ABSTRACT: Background
Penicillin's long-standing role as the reference standard in syphilis treatment has led to global reliance. However, this dependence presents challenges, prompting the need for alternative strategies. We performed a systematic literature review and meta-analysis to evaluate the efficacy of these alternative treatments against nonneurological syphilis.Methods
We searched MEDLINE, the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Embase, Cochrane, Scopus, and Web of Science from database inception to 28 August 2023, and we included studies that compared penicillin or amoxicillin monotherapy to other treatments for the management of nonneurological syphilis. Our primary outcome was serological cure rates. Random-effect models were used to obtain pooled mean differences, and heterogeneity was assessed using the I2 test.Results
Of 6478 screened studies, 27 met the inclusion criteria, summing 6710 patients. The studies were considerably homogeneous, and stratified analyses considering each alternative treatment separately revealed that penicillin monotherapy did not outperform ceftriaxone (pooled odds ratio, 1.66 [95% confidence interval, .97-2.84]; I2 = 0%), azithromycin (0.92; [.73-1.18]; I2 = 0%), or doxycycline (0.82 [.61-1.10]; I2 = 1%) monotherapies with respect to serological conversion.Conclusions
Alternative treatment strategies have serological cure rates equivalent to penicillin, potentially reducing global dependence on this antibiotic.
SUBMITTER: Callado GY
PROVIDER: S-EPMC11002953 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Apr
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
Callado Gustavo Yano GY Gutfreund Maria Celidonio MC Pardo Isabele I Hsieh Mariana Kim MK Lin Vivian V Sampson Mindy Marie MM Nava Guillermo Rodriguez GR Marins Tássia Aporta TA Deliberato Rodrigo Octávio RO Martino Marinês Dalla Valle MDV Holubar Marisa M Salinas Jorge L JL Marra Alexandre R AR
Open forum infectious diseases 20240313 4
<h4>Background</h4>Penicillin's long-standing role as the reference standard in syphilis treatment has led to global reliance. However, this dependence presents challenges, prompting the need for alternative strategies. We performed a systematic literature review and meta-analysis to evaluate the efficacy of these alternative treatments against nonneurological syphilis.<h4>Methods</h4>We searched MEDLINE, the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Embase, Cochrane, Scopus, and ...[more]