Treatment of pulmonary infections in patients with cystic fibrosis: a comparative study of ticarcillin and gentamicin.

The effectiveness of ticarcillin against Pseudomonas aeruginosa in acute exacerbations of pulmonary infection in patients with cystic fibrosis was evaluated. Seventy-one percent of patients treated with ticarcillin alone responded favorably. The response rate was similar in patients treated with a combination of ticarcillin plus gentamicin or with gentamicin alone. Severity of the underlying disease was the most important determinant of response to treatment. Ticarcillin-resistant organisms were recovered during treatment in 50% of patients who received this drug; recovery of them was not prevented by the inclusion of gentamicin in the therapeutic regimen nor did they interfere with clinical improvement. The ticarcillin-resistant strains persisted at follow-up, two to six months after completion of therapy, in only one of ten patients. No serious toxicity to ticarcillin was noted during the study period.