Efficacy of a new quinolone, levofloxacin in patients with surgical infections
Morimoto, K.; Kinoshita, H.; Nakatani, S.; Sakai, K.; Fujimoto, M.; Ohno, K.; Ueda, T.; Ohmori, K.; Yamazaki, O.; Doi, S.
Japanese Journal of Antibiotics 45(3): 258-264
1992
ISSN/ISBN: 0368-2781 PMID: 1512922 Document Number: 392705
The pharmacokinetics and clinical efficacy of levofloxacin (LVFX, DR-3355), an optically pure S(.sbd.)-enantiomer of ofloxacin, were studied in patients after surgery. In the pharmacokinetic study, 4 patients undergoing bile drainage were given 2 100-mg tablets by mouth. Peak levels of LVFX were from 2.22 to 4.02 .mu.g/ml of plasma at 2 .apprx. 4 hours after the oral administration, and from 7.5 to 11.3 .mu.g/ml of bile at 2 .apprx. 6 hours. Forty-three patients with surgical infections, including 16 skin and soft-tissue infections and 12 wound infections, were treated with LVFX. Twenty-eight (70%) of the 40 patients whose results could be evaluated had excellent or good results; 42 (93%) of the 45 causative organisms identified were eradicated. An episode of diarrhea with chills and fever occurred in a 38-year-old man. The results suggested that LVFX has satisfactory antimicrobial effects in surgical infections.