Cefodizime: a new cephalosporin with apparent immune-stimulating properties in chronic renal failure

In vitro experiments suggest that cefodizime, a new cephalosporin, causes an increase in phagocytic capacity. We therefore evaluated the effect of cefodizime on the phagocytic system in haemodialysis patients by an estimation of the 14CO2 production during glucose metabolisation by phagocytic cells, in the resting state, and after zymosan and latex. The production of 14CO2 after latex increased in five of six patients (mean +/- SD: from 17,932 +/- 11,859 before to 21,183 +/- 7849 d.p.m. at the end of treatment). The corresponding data after zymosan were 48,381 +/- 24,891 and 70,176 +/- 15,140 d.p.m. The improved 14CO2 production after stimulation persisted for 2 further weeks. These results suggest a stimulation in vivo of the depressed phagocytic system of the uraemic patient by cefodizime.