title: The efficacy of high-dose penicillin for community-acquired pneumonia diagnosed by pneumococcal urine antigen test.
abstract: We analyzed the efficacy of both the Streptococcus pneumoniae urine antigen test as a quick diagnostic tool and the administration of high-dose penicillin in response to a positive S. pneumoniae urine antigen test. We conducted a retrospective analysis of 48 cases of pneumococcal pneumonia, in which the patients were treated with high-dose penicillin. All the cases were diagnosed by a positive urine antigen test. Treatment with high-dose penicillin was effective in 43 of the 48 patients. This treatment was also effective in 12 of 16 culture-confirmed cases with low susceptibility to penicillin. Eleven patients who were positive for the S. pneumoniae urine antigen test but culture-negative showed clinical improvement with high-dose penicillin. Pneumonia caused by S. pneumoniae appeared to be treated safely and effectively with high-dose penicillin based on positive results of the urine antigen test, as penicillin resistance was unlikely to be a problem.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine and Clinical Immunology, Yokohama City University Graduate School of Medicine, 3-9 Fukuura, Kanazawa-ku, Yokohama, 236-0004, Japan. hide-oka0214@kkh.biglobe.ne.jp
authors.forename: Hideaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Oka
authors.forename: Atsuhisa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ueda
authors.forename: Yuji
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Watanuki
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tsukiji
authors.forename: Hideyo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kuroda
authors.forename: Syunsuke
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Akashi
authors.forename: Yoshihiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hirai
authors.forename: Toshiharu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fuyuki
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kaneko
authors.forename: Yoshiaki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ishigatsubo
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000652:urine*; D001431:Bacteriological Techniques; D017714:Community-Acquired Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010406:Penicillins / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011018:Pneumonia, Pneumococcal / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013296:Streptococcus pneumoniae / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000302:isolation & purification
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D010406:Penicillins