Sulbactam/ampicillin: effects on glucose metabolism in diabetics with soft tissue infection

Rats and dogs chronically treated with high doses of sulbactam are known to sequester protein-bound glycogen in their hepatocytes. As a result, previous UK studies of sulbactam/ampicillin excluded patients suffering from diabetes mellitus. This study examined the effects of sulbactam/ampicillin compared to flucloxacillin/ampicillin on diabetic control, the ability to mobilize glycogen and the pancreatic beta cell response to glucagon, in diabetic patients suffering from soft tissue infection. There was no significant effect between treatment groups on any of these parameters. Sulbactam/ampicillin is unlikely to have an adverse effect on diabetic control in clinical practice when used short term in the doses employed in this study.