[Cefotetan in the therapy of respiratory infections. Multicenter research]

In a controlled multicenter trial 291 patients have been treated with cefotetan. They suffered from acute or chronic exacerbated bronchopulmonary disorders. In 110 patients it was possible to identify the etiological agent: enterobacteria (62), non-fermentative gram-negative bacilli (10), Haemophilus influenzae (8), Branhamella catarrhalis (1), Streptococcus pneumoniae (19), Staphylococcus aureus (12), Streptococcus pyogenes (4). In the exacerbations of chronic bronchitis (203), cefotetan was generally administered at the dose of 1 g/12 h i.m., whereas it was administered at the dose of 2 g/12 h i.v. in acute infection. The mean duration of therapy was 8.8 days. Positive clinical results were obtained in 251 patients (86.2%) with eradication of the pathogen initially isolated in 90.5% of cases. Cefotetan showed good local and general tolerance. The results obtained confirm those of studies concerning limited numbers of patients and show the efficacy of cefotetan both in acute and chronic pathologies, also in patients with serious involvement of their general conditions (concomitant pathologies, high mean age).