Sputum and serum levels of amoxycillin in chronic bronchial infections.

A study of 11 patients suffering from acute exacerbations of chronic bronchial infection, all with purulent (Mp+++) sputum, showed that good penetration of amoxycillin into such sputum occurs. The levels of amoxycillin in sputum doubled proportionally with the oral dose, at least up to dosages of 2 g. High dosages or oral amoxycillin may therefore, be advantageous in the treatment of chronic bronchial infection. In a study of 30 chronic bronchitic patients, whose sputum varied in purulence from mucoid to purulent (Mp+++) the concentration of amoxycillin in sputum containing approximately 50% pus (Mp++) was significantly higher than that in any other degree of purulence. These results indicate that amoxycillin penetrates best into sputum at an intermediate degree of purulence.