Telithromycin: new preparation. A needless addition to the other macrolides.

(1) Macrolides are an alternative to beta-lactam agents for treating uncomplicated community-acquired pneumonia, acute exacerbations of chronic bronchitis, sinusitis and throat infections. The choice of macrolides is based mainly on the risk of interactions, which is lowest with spiramycin. (2) Telithromycin is a macrolide antibiotic derived from erythromycin. It was first marketed in France in 2002, for the above indications. (3) Telithromycin is no more effective than the antibiotics with which it has been compared, namely amoxicillin and clarithromycin in non life-threatening pneumonia; amoxicillin-clavulanate and cefuroxime axetil in acute exacerbations of chronic bronchitis and acute sinusitis; and clarithromycin and phenoxymethylpenicillin (penicillin V) in pharyngotonsillitis. (4) In clinical trials, telithromycin was not more effective than comparator antibiotics on infections thought to be due to pneumococcal strains resistant to penicillin and/or erythromycin. Cases of erythromycin cross-resistance have been observed. (5) The adverse effects of telithromycin are the same as those of other macrolides, mainly gastrointestinal disturbances, headache, dizziness, and hepatotoxicity. Telithromycin also carries a risk of torsades de pointes, and seems to cause more visual problems than other macrolides. (6) Telithromycin inhibits cytochrome P450 isoenzymes, so there is a high risk of drug interactions. (7) In practice, spiramycin remains the standard option when a macrolide is indicated for the treatment of common ENT and pulmonary infections.