Evaluation of ciprofloxacin in the treatment of Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections.

The efficacy and safety of ciprofloxacin in the treatment of Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections was evaluated in 72 patients suffering from upper urinary tract infection (19 patients), deep soft tissue infection (16), chronic osteomyelitis (12), abscess (7), chronic otitis media (6), otitis externa (3) and bronchopneumonia (9). Forty-eight patients received an oral dose of 500 mg or 750 mg b.i.d. and five patients an i.v. dose of 200 mg b.i.d., while 19 patients were given both oral and parenteral doses. The duration of therapy ranged from seven days to more than four months. The MICs of ciprofloxacin for the Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains isolated were in the range less than 0.06-2 mg/l; 36% of the strains were resistant to all other available antibiotics. At follow-up after a minimum of six months the clinical success rate was 75% and the infecting organism was permanently eradicated in 49% of the patients. In nine patients the organism developed resistance, particularly when the initial MIC was higher than 0.5 mg/l. No significant adverse reactions were observed. Ciprofloxacin is the first antipseudomonal antimicrobial agent which can be administered orally and therefore fulfills a need in chemotherapy.