title: Intramuscular ceftriaxone versus ampicillin-chloramphenicol in childhood bacterial meningitis.
abstract: 70 children aged 4 months-12 years, with bacteriologically proven bacterial meningitis were treated with either intramuscular (IM) ceftriaxone (CFT) 100 mg/kg given once daily, or with combined IM ampicillin 160 mg/kg/day and IM chloramphenicol 100 mg/kg/day (AMC) given every 6 h. There were 35 children in each of the treatment groups. The children in both groups were comparable with regard to age, sex, duration of illness, and state of consciousness. 29 children in the CFT group and 26 in the AMC group recovered without any permanent complications or sequelae. Of the 15 children who died 10 (3 in the CFT and 7 in the AMC group) were in deep coma when treatment was started. Intramuscular CFT given once daily proved effective and much easier to administer than our standard hospital therapy with combined AMC given every 6 h IM.
authors.affiliation: U.S. Naval Medical Research Unit No. 3, New York 09527.
authors.forename: N I
authors.initials: NI
authors.lastname: Girgis
authors.forename: A H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Abu el Ella
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Farid
authors.forename: R L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Haberberger
authors.forename: F S
authors.initials: FS
authors.lastname: Galal
authors.forename: J N
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Woody
mesh_terms: D000667:Ampicillin / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002443:Ceftriaxone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002701:Chloramphenicol / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000188:drug therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007273:Injections, Intramuscular; D008297:Male; D008581:Meningitis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008583:Meningitis, Haemophilus / Q000188:drug therapy; D008585:Meningitis, Meningococcal / Q000188:drug therapy; D008586:Meningitis, Pneumococcal / Q000188:drug therapy; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D002701:Chloramphenicol; D002443:Ceftriaxone; D000667:Ampicillin