Ciprofloxacin activity in cyst fluid from polycystic kidneys

Renal cyst infection in patients with polycystic kidney disease (PKD) is often unresponsive to standard antimicrobial therapy, in part because of the failure of most antibiotics to adequately penetrate cyst fluid. Ciprofloxacin, a new quinolone antibiotic, possesses in vitro activity against most pathogens likely to be encountered in renal cyst infection. To study the potential usefulness of ciprofloxacin for the treatment of cyst infection, fluid from 70 cysts was obtained from seven patients with polycystic kidney disease who were receiving the drug. Cysts were categorized as nongradient or gradient by the sodium concentration in the fluid. The ciprofloxacin concentration within cysts was measured, and the cyst fluid bactericidal activity against likely cyst fluid pathogens was determined. The mean (+/- standard error) ciprofloxacin concentration was 12.7 +/- 2.9 micrograms/ml. Preferential accumulation of ciprofloxacin occurred in gradient cysts; these levels exceeded levels in serum by more than fourfold. Cyst fluid bactericidal activity titers were uniformly high against Escherichia coli and Proteus mirabilis, while less activity was observed against Streptococcus faecalis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, and Staphylococcus epidermidis.