Influence of Sulfadiazine on Plasma Lipids in Pneumonia. ∗

Abstract

In preceding communications, 1 , 2 the author has presented evidence to indicate that in acute infections such as pneumonia in children, there is a definite depression of the plasma levels for total and ester cholesterol total fatty acids and phospholipids together with a fall in the iodine numbers of the total fatty acids and the phospholipid fatty acids. Adequate treatment of the pneumonia patients with specific immune serum prevents the fall in blood lipids. 3 Chemotherapy offers a variable response. Sulfapyridine permits a moderate drop in the lipids of the blood while sulfathiazole is more effective. 4 , 5

Sulfadiazine (2-sulfanilamidopyrimidine) is considered by clinicians to be superior to sulfathiazole in the treatment of pneumonia. What is its influence on the plasma lipids? This question is answered by the observations made on 6 subjects ranging in age from 6 to 13 years. All the children were ill with pneumonia due to the pneumococcous. They were admitted to the hospital very early during their illness, and on admission 2 g of sulfadiazine were given orally. Following the initial dose, the drug was administered in 1 g doses every 6 hours 4 times per day and it was well tolerated by all the patients.

The first sample of blood was collected just before the sulfadiazine was started. At this time each child had been ill from one to 2 days, and the fever ranged between 38.4° and 40.3°C. The second sample was drawn about 24 hours after the temperature had dropped to normal. The third and fourth samples were obtained on the fourth and seventh day of convalescence respectively. The drug was discontinued on the fourth day of normal temperature just before the third sample had been collected. A thorough examination including a roentgenogram of the lungs was made each time.