[Bronchopulmonary penetration of ciprofloxacin]

We determined ciprofloxacin levels in plasma, saliva, bronchial secretions, lavage fluid, and alveolar macrophages in 9 patients five hours following the last administration of the drug (2 x 750 mg ciprofloxacin daily over a period of at least 3 days). The ciprofloxacin concentration in the alveolar film was determined using urea as internal marker for the lavage. On average it was 2.51 micrograms/ml (= 186% of the plasma level), and clearly exceeded the minimal inhibition concentrations for the facultative pathogenic organism. This means that, in the alveolar film--which represents the barrier to descending pneumonia--an effective accumulation of the quinolone takes place.