Which antibiotic is better for the treatment of infections of the lower respiratory tract? (Reprinted from Klinik Arzt, vol 7, pg 3-8, 1990)

The efficacy and tolerance of mezlocillin and ampicillin/sulbactam were investigated in an open, comparative, multicentre study involving 96 patients. The high levels of efficacy of both ampicillin/sulbactam and mezlocillin, as previously documented in comprehensive in vitro studies, were confirmed with regard to the wide range of pathogens examined in this study. Both therapies were also associated with high clinical success rates and were well tolerated. It is worth noting that the larger number of patients suffering from chronically obstructive bronchitis apparently had no negative effects on the clinical results of the ampicillin/sulbactam therapy. In cases of nosocomial respiratory tract infections, especially those with a high incidence of beta-lactamase-producing organisms, a combination including beta-lactamase inhibitors may be expected to be superior to any of the ureido penicillins. The present study demonstrates that in cases of community acquired infections of the lower respiratory tract, treatment with ampicillin/sulbactam can be regarded as a suitable therapeutic alternative to mezlocillin, combining high efficacy and tolerance.