[Laboratory and clinical evaluations of flomoxef sodium in neonates]

Flomoxef sodium (FMOX) was evaluated experimentally and clinically in neonates. 1. Serum concentrations and urinary excretions of the drug were examined after a bolus intravenous injection at 20 mg/kg to 22 neonates 1-30 days after birth (durations of pregnancy 31-43 weeks, weights at birth 1,650-4,040 g) and 5 infants 50-95 days after birth (durations of pregnancy 33-40 weeks, weights at birth 1,720-3,308 g). Serum concentrations were 10.8-67.6 micrograms/ml (mean 32.7 +/- 2.8 micrograms/ml) and 25.1-52.0 micrograms/ml (mean 38.9 +/- 4.3 micrograms/ml) in the neonates and the infants, respectively, at their peaks (0.5 hour value), decreased thereafter with half-lives of 0.96-5.59 hours (mean 2.20 +/- 0.26 hours value), and 0.97-1.54 hours (mean 1.22 +/- 0.12 hours value), respectively. Serum levels decreased to 0.2-17.1 micrograms/ml (mean 2.9 +/- 0.6 micrograms/ml) and N.D. -1.1 micrograms/ml (mean 0.4 +/- 0.2 micrograms/ml) after 8 hours, respectively. The urinary recovery rates of the drug in the first 8 hours after administration were 15.0-96.0% (mean 53.7 +/- 4.9%) and 29.9-73.3% (mean 62.4 +/- 9.4%) in the neonates and in the infants, respectively. 2. FMOX was administered to 78 neonates (durations of pregnancy 31-42 weeks, weights at birth 1,420-3,860 g) in whom bacterial infections were established or suspected, and clinical, bacteriological, and side effects were evaluated. In 47 neonates examined (1 with sepsis, 3 with acute upper respiratory infections, 18 with acute pneumonia, 1 with umbilical infection, 1 with impetigo, 4 with acute urinary tract infections, 1 with acute otitis externa, 1 with periproctal abscess, and 17 with intrauterine infections), the treatment was markedly effective in 41, and effective in 6, with an overall efficacy rate of 100%. The bacterilogical effects of the drug on 3 strains of Staphylococcus aureus, 1 strain of Streptococcus pneumoniae, 1 strain of Streptococcus agalactiae, 9 strains of Escherichia coli, and 2 strains of Haemophilus influenzae which were responsible for these infections were all rated as "eradicated". Moreover, the drug, administered with or without prophylactic intentions showed complete prophylactic effects in all 27 cases tested. No side effects were observed in any of the patients. Concerning abnormal clinical laboratory results, increases in GOT were noted in 2, eosinophilia in 1, and thrombocytosis in 1, but these abnormalities were invariably mild and the normalized in 1 patient without treatment. The results suggest that FMOX is useful and safe also in neonates.