title: Clinical efficacy and safety of sulbactam/ampicillin in patients suffering from chronic liver disease.
abstract: Sulbactam is a new beta-lactamase inhibitor with pharmacokinetic characteristics in humans similar to those of ampicillin. A total of 41 patients hospitalized in the Clinic of Infectious Diseases, University of Naples, for chronic liver diseases, were treated with sulbactam/ampicillin (ratio 1:2) for urinary, respiratory, biliary tract or soft tissue infections. Sulbactam/ampicillin was administered im or iv at a dosage of 3-9 g/day depending on the site and severity of the infection. All the patients treated with sulbactam/ampicillin had clinical signs and symptoms of infection, and all the organisms isolated were sensitive to sulbactam/ampicillin (MIC less than 16 mg/l). For both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria the sulbactam/ampicillin MICs were much lower than the ampicillin MICs. In agreement with the favourable in-vitro results, we observed good therapeutic efficacy. 85% of the patients recovered or improved within a few days of therapy, with no clinical relapses, and in 81% of the infections the responsible bacteria were completely eradicated. We observed a low number of side effects (3/41 oral candidosis; 3/41 pain at the im injection site) and no change in the blood chemistry tests.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000667:Ampicillin / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004338:Drug Combinations / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006090:Gram-Negative Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects; D006094:Gram-Positive Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000150:complications*; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D008297:Male; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D008875:Middle Aged; D010397:Penicillanic Acid / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013407:Sulbactam; D065093:beta-Lactamase Inhibitors
chemical_list: D004338:Drug Combinations; D065093:beta-Lactamase Inhibitors; C035444:sultamicillin; D000667:Ampicillin; D010397:Penicillanic Acid; D013407:Sulbactam