Enoxacin treatment of urinary tract infections in elderly patients

Sixty-seven elderly patients (61 female, six male) with a mean age of 82 years (range 67-95) were orally treated for 4-14 days with enoxacin (200 or 400 mg bd) for urinary tract infections in a non-comparative open study. Fifty-three patients had features of pyelonephritis, and 17 had indwelling catheters. Clinical and bacteriological assessments were made on day 0, between days 2 and 4, at the end of therapy, 5-9 days post-treatment. Patients whose response continued to be satisfactory were re-examined 4-6 weeks after the last dose. In 20 patients enoxacin concentrations were measured in samples of urine and serum during the study. Enoxacin therapy eliminated the causative pathogens in 98.5% of the patients after 2-4 days treatment and in 100% at the end of therapy. Overall results at the end of treatment were good or excellent in 84% of patients. Sixty patients (90%) at 5-9 days follow-up had a satisfactory response (51 had complete eradication of pathogen and nine re-infection). At 4-6 weeks follow-up, 46 patients (69%) remained completely infection free. Side effects of therapy were, in general, mild or moderate although four patients, all of whom had a history of cerebrovascular disturbance, suffered convulsions during study.