title: A comparison of ampicillin/sulbactam and cefuroxime in the treatment of patients with bacterial infections of the lower respiratory tract.
abstract: Ampicillin/sulbactam (1 to 2 g ampicillin and 0.5 to 1 g sulbactam, administered intravenously once every 6 hours) and cefuroxime (750 mg to 1.5 g, administered intravenously once every 8 hours) were compared to determine their efficacy and safety in treating patients with lower respiratory tract infections of bacterial etiology. Nineteen of the 41 patients treated with ampicillin/sulbactam and 18 of the 44 patients treated with cefuroxime were assessable for efficacy. The clinical responses to the 2 treatments were comparable: 5 (26%) patients treated with ampicillin/sulbactam were cured and 14 (74%) were improved. Five (28%) patients who received cefuroxime were cured, 12 (67%) were improved, and treatment failed in 1 patient (6%) (P = 0.569). Similarly, no significant difference was noted between the bacteriologic responses to the two antimicrobials (P = 0.486). All isolates from the patients treated with ampicillin/sulbactam were eradicated, as were all isolates in 17 (94%) of the patients treated with cefuroxime. A superinfection occurred in 1 (6%) patient who received cefuroxime. Adverse reactions were rare and occurred in 3 patients from each treatment group.
authors.affiliation: Mercy Medical Center, Baltimore, Maryland.
authors.forename: R W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Geckler
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000667:Ampicillin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001991:Bronchitis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology*; D002444:Cefuroxime / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004338:Drug Combinations; D005260:Female; D006094:Gram-Positive Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D016908:Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018410:Pneumonia, Bacterial / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012449:Safety; D013407:Sulbactam / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D004338:Drug Combinations; D000667:Ampicillin; D002444:Cefuroxime; D013407:Sulbactam