Intravenous erythromycin in acute chest infections in critically ill patients

Superinfections with resistant micro-organisms have recently become an increasing problem in hospital patients and are throught to be contributed to by inappropriate use of newer, broad-spectrum antibiotics. Erythromycin exhibits a more limited spectrum of antibacterial activity and was therefore re...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Anaesthesia and intensive care 1979-05, Vol.7 (2), p.143-147
Main Authors: Cade, J F, Pain, M C
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Acute Disease
Adolescent
Adult
Aged
Bacterial Infections - drug therapy
Erythromycin - administration & dosage
Erythromycin - metabolism
Erythromycin - therapeutic use
Female
Humans
Infusions, Parenteral
Intensive Care Units
Male
Middle Aged
Respiratory Tract Infections - drug therapy
Sputum - microbiology
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Summary:Superinfections with resistant micro-organisms have recently become an increasing problem in hospital patients and are throught to be contributed to by inappropriate use of newer, broad-spectrum antibiotics. Erythromycin exhibits a more limited spectrum of antibacterial activity and was therefore re-evaluated in the treatment of acute chest infections in critically ill patients. Twenty-one patients were given erythromycin in a dose of 1.8 g per day by continuous intravenous infusion for up to five days. A satisfactory clinical response occurred in ten patients, in all of whom erythromycin-sensitive micro-organisms were isolated from sputum. An unsatisfactory response occurred in six patients, all associated with micro-organisms insensitive to erythromycin and requiring alternative antibiotic treatment. No undesirable side-effects were noted. It is concluded that erythromycin is a safe and useful agent in the routine treatment of acute chest infections in critically ill patients.
ISSN:0310-057X
1448-0271
DOI:10.1177/0310057X7900700205