RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Trimethoprim-sulphamethoxazole in the treatment of persistent diarrhoea: a double blind placebo controlled clinical trial. JF Archives of Disease in Childhood JO Arch Dis Child FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd and Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health SP 483 OP 486 DO 10.1136/adc.72.6.483 VO 72 IS 6 A1 N H Alam A1 P K Bardhan A1 R Haider A1 D Mahalanabis YR 1995 UL http://adc.bmj.com/content/72/6/483.abstract AB The efficacy of an absorbable antimicrobial agent trimethoprim-sulphamethoxazole (TMP-SMX) in the management of children with persistent diarrhoea was evaluated in a double blind, randomised, and placebo controlled trial. Of the 55 patients studied, 28 received TMP-SMX, and 27 received placebo. A trend in stool weight reduction was observed from the third day after the drug was started, and the reduction was statistically significant on day 6 and day 7. However, the difference in total stool output (g/kg) up to day 7 was not significantly different between the two groups. The proportion of children whose diarrhoea resolved by day 7 (therapeutic success) was significantly more in the treatment group compared with the placebo group (23 v 15). Additionally, mean duration of diarrhoea in the group that received TMP-SMX was less compared with the placebo group (6.0 v 8.3 days); this difference, however, was not significant. Hospital infection (probably nosocomial infection) was significantly less in the TMP-SMX treated group (1 v 10). The results of our study indicate that TMP-SMX has a clinical benefit in respect of reducing the stool output, and higher recovery rate within seven days of treatment. In addition, it prevented possible hospital acquired infection.