A non-comparative study of parenteral ampicillin and sulbactam in intra-thoracic and intra-abdominal infections

Abstract

Fifty-four patients were treated with intravenous ampicillin and sulbactam in an open study of intra-thoracic and intra-abdominal infection. Thirty-one were treated with 500 mg each of the combination 6-hourly while 23 patients were given 1 g of ampicillin and 500 mg of sulbactam, 6-hourly. Thirteen of fourteen (93%) patients with severe respiratory tract infection and 22/26 (85%) patients in the intra-abdominal infection group responded clinically and bacteriologically. Seven patients with clinical sepsis (but not confirmed bacteriologically) improved on therapy. 50/55 (91%) clinical isolates from this study were eliminated. An increase in MIC was found in two cases. There were minimal side effects, pain at site of injection being the commonest complaint.