Cefuroxime axetil in acute purulent exacerbations of chronic bronchitis

51 hospitalised patients with acute purulent exacerbations of chronic bronchitis were treated for ten days with two daily 1 g doses of the orally absorbed pro-drug cefuroxime axetil. However, some patients were still infected with Haemophilus influenzae or Branhamella catarrhalis at follow-up, and sputum purulence remained. Clinical results were "excellent" or "good" in 60% of the evaluable patients one week after the end of the treatment. Mean peak serum concentrations averaged 12.8 mg/l with mean peak sputum concentrations of 1.8 mg/l. The MIC90 value for H. influenzae was 4 mg/l. Three patients discontinued cefuroxime because of unwanted gastrointestinal drug effects, and three because of insufficient improvement. These results do not suggest that this compound is indicated for such patients.