Clinical Evaluation of Piperacillin in Bronchopulmonary Infection

Abstract

Piperacillin sodium, a new semi-synthetic penicillin, was administered to eleven patients with acute bronchial infection and to fourteen patients with pneumonia. Piperacillin dosage was either 8 g/day (twenty-one patients) or 16 g/day (four patients) intravenously for periods of between 5 and 15 days. Clinical assessment was determined by diminution of sputum purulence, eradication of pathogen from sputum, clinical and radiological progress.

There was a beneficial response in all but six patients, two of whom had severe chronic infective bronchial disease and four had underlying pulmonary malignancy. The low toxicity of piperacillin was confirmed, although one patient with chronic renal failure had a significant decline in renal function. Dosage should be reduced inpatients with renal impairment.