CEFOPERAZONE IN THE TREATMENT OF LOWER RESPIRATORY-TRACT INFECTIONS

The clinical efficacy and tolerance of parenteral cefoperazone was evaluated in the treatment of 44 in-patients with lower respiratory tract infections. Twenty-nine patients were suffering from pneumonia or bronchopneumonia and 15 from purulent bronchitis. Infection was acute in 2/3 of the cases and 10 were unsuccessfully treated with other antibiotics; 70% of the patients were considered to be severely ill; 15 required assisted ventilation. Haemophilus influenzae and Enterobacteriaceae were the most frequent isolates apart from gram-positive bacteria. Clinical efficacy could be assessed in 38 patients. A good response occurred in 71%, moderate improvement in 18% and 11% did not respond to treatment. The bacteriological efficacy could be evaluated in 16 patients. The pathogen was eradicated in 11 of these patients; it persisted in the remaining 5. No serious side-effects were observed. The most common were diarrhea of moderate severity and superficial overgrowth with Candida. Although there was a mean decrease in serum transaminases, a slight transient increase was observed in a few patients. Cefoperazone appears to be effective and safe for the treatment of severe lower respiratory tract infections.