STUDIES ON SULBACTAM/CEFOPERAZONE

Bacteriological and clinical effects of a new β-lactamase inhibitor, sulbactam (SBT), in combination with cefoperazone (CPZ) at a ratio of 1: I were investigated.<BR>The sensitivities of 101 strains of clinically isolated Gram-negative rods were measured against SBT/CPZ combination in comparison with CPZ, CMZ and CEZ.<BR>MIC's of SBT/CPZ against E. coli (41 strains) ranged between 0.1-100μg/ml with the peak MIC of 0.2-0.4μg/ml, which were superior to those of CEZ and CMZ, but equal to or 1 tube higher than those of CPZ most strains. Against Klebsiella (20 strains), MIC's of SBT/CPZ were distributed between < 0.1-25μg/ml with thepeak at 0.4μg/ml, which were superior to those of CEZ and CMZ, but equal to those of CPZ. Against P. aeruginosa (20 strains), MIC's of SBT/CPZ were distributed between 0.4-100μg/ml with the peak at 6.4 μg/ml, and mostly equal to or 1 tube higher than those of CPZ.<BR>Clinically, the SBT/CPZ was administered at a dose of 1-2g twice a day for 14-31 days by either dripinfusion or i.v. bolus to 7 patients; 5 cases of pneumonia and 1 case each of cholangitis and gingivitis. The overall efficacy was: excellent, 1; good, 5; poor, 1. No side effect was observed, but some laboratory abnormalities were detected in 4 cases, two of which had no clear causal relationship with the drug administration. Among the others, the increase of GOT and eosinophils was observed in one case, and the increase of GOT and GPT was observed in another. However, the increases in both cases were transient and mild.