Efficacy of a new quinolone, levofloxacin in patients with surgical infections.
The pharmacokinetics and clinical efficacy of levofloxacin (LVFX, DR-3355), an optically pure S(-)-enantiomer of ofloxacin, were studied in patients after surgery. In the pharmacokinetic study, 4 patients undergoing bile drainage were given 2 100-mg tablets by mouth. Peak levels of LVFX were from 2.22 to 4.02 micrograms/ml of plasma at 2-4 hours after the oral administration, and from 7.5 to 11.3 micrograms/ml of bile at 2-6 hours. Forty-three patients with surgical infections, including 16 skin and soft-tissue infections and 12 wound infections, were treated with LVFX. Twenty-eight (70%) of the 40 patients whose results could be evaluated had excellent or good results; 42 (93%) of the 45 causative organisms identified were eradicated. An episode of diarrhea with chills and fever occurred in a 38-year-old man. The results suggested that LVFX has satisfactory antimicrobial effects in surgical infections.
Morimoto
K
K
Second Department of Surgery, Osaka City University Medical School.
Kinoshita
H
H
Nakatani
S
S
Sakai
K
K
Fujimoto
M
M
Ohno
K
K
Ueda
T
T
Ohmori
K
K
Yamazaki
O
O
Doi
S
S
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D064704:Levofloxacin; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015242:Ofloxacin / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000188:drug therapy*
D064704:Levofloxacin; D015242:Ofloxacin