[Clinical studies on ciprofloxacin in chronic respiratory tract infection]

Ciprofloxacin (CPFX), a new pyridone carboxylic acid, was administered orally to the patients with chronic respiratory tract infection and its clinical efficacy and safety were studied in a multicenter open trial. The results and summarized as follows. 1. The efficacy rate for the patients with acute exacerbation as 52.5% (21/40) in 2 week-treatment, and 75.0% (24/32) in 4 week-treatment. 2. The efficacy rate for the patients with chronic phase was 23.1% (6/26) in 2 week-treatment, and 26.9% (7/26) in 4 week-treatment, but acute exacerbation was not observed in any of the patients. 3. CPFX was administered to 6 patients over 60 days for the prophylaxis of acute exacerbation. Only 2 patients had acute exacerbation in 2 and 3 months after the start of the therapy, respectively. 4. Bacteriological eradication rate was high except P. aeruginosa, for which the eradication rate was about 20%. 5. Side effects were observed in 3 patients, and abnormal findings of laboratory tests were observed in 5 patients, though they were not severe. These results show that CPFX is a useful antimicrobial agent for the treatment of chronic respiratory tract infections.