Table 1.

Effects of empiric antibiotic treatment of travelers' diarrhea: results of placebo-controlled trials

		Mean duration of diarrhea from start of treatment
Drug and dosage	No. of participants	Placebo group	Intervention group	Difference between means (95% confidence interval)*
Ofloxacin, 300 mg bid for 3 d9	232	56 h	28 h	-28 h (-40.5 to -15.5 h)
Ofloxacin, 300 mg bid for 5 d9	232	56 h	39 h	-17 h (-31.2 to 2.8 h)
Ciprofloxacin, 500-mg single dose11	83	53.5 h	24.8 h	-28.7 h (-40.2 to -17.2 h)
Bicozamycin, 500 mg qid for 5 d7	148	63.7 h	28.2 h	-35.5 h (-48.1 to -22.9 h)
Norfloxacin, 400 mg bid for 5 d5	511	4 d†	3 d†	NA
Ciprofloxacin, 500 mg bid for 5 d6	181	81 h	29 h	-52 h
TMP-SMX, 160/800 mg bid for 5 d6	181	81 h	20 h	-61 h
Ciprofloxacin, 250 mg bid for 3 d7	15	60 h	26 h	-34 h
Norfloxacin, 400 mg bid for 3 d8	94	4.4 d	3.2 d	-1.2 d
Norfloxacin, 400 mg bid for 3 d10	106	3.3 d	1.2 d	-2.1 ds
TMP-SMX, 160/800 mg bid for 6 d13	110	92.8 h	29.2 h	-63.6 h
Trimethoprim, 200 mg bid for 5 d13	110	92.8 h	30.7 h	-62.1 h
TMP-SMX, 160/800 mg bid for 3 d15	134	59 h	24 h	-35 h
TMP-SMX, 310/1,600-mg single dose15	227	58 h	28 h	-30 h
TMP-SMX, 160/800 mg bid for 3 d15	227	58 h	36 h	-22 h
Aztreonam, 100 mg tid for 5 d16	191	84 h	44 h	-40 h
bid = twice a day; d = day; h = hour; qid = 4 times a day; TMP-SMX = trimethoprim and sulfamethoxazole; NA = not available; tid = 3 times a day.

^*If available from published data.

^†Median duration of posttreatment diarrhea.