ONCE-DAILY CEFTRIAXONE IN THE TREATMENT OF LOWER RESPIRATORY-TRACT INFECTIONS

We conducted a retrospective clinical evaluation to assess the efficacy of a 1-gram once-daily regimen of intravenously administered ceftriaxone in the treatment of a variety of bacterial infections. Of the 250 patients studied, 167 had infections of the lower respiratory tract, approximately 70% of which were diagnosed as community-acquired pneumonias. The principal identified pathogens were Staphylococcus aureus and Haemophilus influenzae. Forty per cent of community-acquired pneumonias occurred in patients over 69 years of age, who showed a 13% mortality compared to a mortality rate of 4% in younger patients. Once-daily ceftriaxone was effective and well tolerated as empiric therapy for pneumonia likely to be caused by susceptible organisms.