Abstract

OBJECTIVE--To evaluate the efficacy and safety of a 3 day course of 2% clindamycin cream in the treatment of bacterial vaginosis. DESIGN--A prospective, randomised, double blind, placebo controlled study. SETTING--Department of Genitourinary Medicine, Royal Liverpool University Hospital. SUBJECTS--55 female patients aged 18 years and over, and premenopausal, who spontaneously or after questioning complained of symptoms of bacterial vaginosis. RESULTS--55 patients were enrolled. 44 patients were evaluable at Visit 1 when among the 23 who received clindamycin cream bacterial vaginosis was not present in 22 (95.6%) and only one failed treatment. Of the 21 patients in the placebo group only one (4.8%) patient was cured and 20 (95.2%) were failures. Of the 17 patients evaluable at Visit 2 in the clindamycin group, bacterial vaginosis was not present in 14 (82.4%) and had recurred in three. No serious adverse events were noted in either group. CONCLUSION--This pilot study provides encouraging evidence of the efficacy and safety of a 3 day course of 2% clindamycin cream in bacterial vaginosis.