Clinical evaluation of moxalactam in the treatment of respiratory tract infections, hepatobiliary infections, and septicemia.

A total of 489 patients with a variety of infections was treated with moxalactam in Japan. The drug usually was administered by drip infusion in doses of 2-4 g per day for seven to 14 days. The clinical response was satisfactory in 277 (77.4%) of 358 patients with respiratory tract infections, 95 (84.8%) of 112 with hepatobiliary infections, and 15 (78.9%) of 19 with septicemia (including 2 with meningitis). Overall, moxalactam was effective in 387 (79.1%) of all patients treated. Of the pathogenic organisms isolated, 87.9% of the gram-positive cocci and 82.1% of the gram-negative bacilli were eradicated. Ninety-two of 156 patients who failed to respond to previous antibiotic therapy showed a satisfactory response to moxalactam. Adverse effects--mainly rash and fever--occurred in only 3.3%, and abnormal results of laboratory tests--mainly elevation of hepatic enzyme levels and eosinophilia--occurred in 5.7% of all patients treated.