Pharmacokinetic study of beta-lactam antibiotics in bronchial secretions.

The objective of the study was to evaluate the concentrations obtained in serum and bronchial secretions after administration of five beta-lactam antibiotics: cephradin (1 g per os) and cefoxitin (2 g i.v. infusion), amoxycillin (1.0 g per os), bacampicillin (0.4 g and 0.8 g per os) and ampicillin (1.0 g per os). 123 adult patients were included in the study and received a single dose of the tested drug. Serum and mucus samples were collected simultaneously 30 minutes, 1, 2 or 4 hours after administration of the drugs. Mucus samples were taken by fibroscopy but in some patients the samples were collected through a tracheostomy cannula which allowed sampling at different time intervals. The results show that the concentrations of penicillins in bronchial secretions increase progressively between one and four hours after administration of the drugs. Bronchial levels obtained after oral administration of ampicillin are low, not more than 5 to 10% of serum levels. The other antibiotics tested show worthwhile concentrations in bronchial secretions, especially with cephalosporins and bacampicillin which exhibits higher serum and bronchial concentrations than ampicillin.