[Clinical studies with a mezlocillin-oxacillin combination in a children's intensive care ward]

Abstract

25 severely infected children, including 10 premature babies weighing less than 2000 g, were treated with Optocillin, Bay 1-1330 a combination of 6-((R)-2-[methylsulfonyl-2-oxo-imidazolidine-1-carboxamido]-2-phenyl-acetamido)-penicillanic acid sodium salt (mezlocillin, Baypen) and 5-methyl-3-phenyl-4-isoxazolypenicillin (oxacillin, Stapenor). Three children died, but probably only one of them of an (uncomfirmed) infection. Very good therapeutic results were obtained in 10 of the 22 survivors, good results in 11 children, and there was one therapeutic failure. In 9 cases an aminoglycoside antibiotic (mostly amikacin) was given in addition during the critical phase of the disease. The daily dose ranged between 120 and 270 mg/kg bodyweight, corresponding to 80-180 mg mezlocillin and 40-90 mg oxacillin/kg bodyweight. The duration of treatment was between 5 and 38 days. Severe side effects definitely produced by the compound were not observed; a rise in the liver-specific laboratory values of one patient was not definitely attributable to medication. According to this study, the combination mezlocillin-oxacillin can be rated as an antibiotic well effective against a broad range of pathogens and marked by a good tolerance especially in the children's intensive care ward.