title: Treatment of lower respiratory tract infections with amoxycillin/clavulanic acid in adults.
abstract: Patients with lower respiratory tract infections [pneumonia (n = 16), bronchiectasis (n = 5) and acute exacerbations of chronic bronchitis (n = 44)] were treated daily with amoxycillin/clavulanic acid given either 1.2 g intravenously three times daily or 625 mg orally three times daily for 7-15 days. Symptoms, signs and sputum volume and colour were monitored daily. Chest X-ray, sputum culture and Gram-stain examinations were also carried out on days 1 and 5, and immediately after the end of the treatment. There was a clinical improvement, as indicated by the incidence of cough, dyspnoea and rales, and by sputum volume and colour in 90.8% of the patients. Microbiological improvement, as indicated by the complete elimination of sputum pathogens and pus cells, was achieved in the same proportion of patients (90.8%). In one patient, an adverse side-effect, diffuse exanthema, was noted. Amoxycillin/clavulanic acid possesses a high clinical and microbiological efficacy for lower respiratory tract infections.
authors.affiliation: Pulmonary Department of Sotiria Hospital for Chest Diseases, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tatsis
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Veslemes
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hadjistavrou
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Votsiou
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jordanoglou
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000658:Amoxicillin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001987:Bronchiectasis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D001991:Bronchitis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D019818:Clavulanic Acid; D002969:Clavulanic Acids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004338:Drug Combinations; D004646:Emphysema / Q000188:drug therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011014:Pneumonia / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D002969:Clavulanic Acids; D004338:Drug Combinations; D019818:Clavulanic Acid; D000658:Amoxicillin