[Clinical evaluation on ceftriaxone in the field of pediatrics]

Ceftriaxone (Ro 13-9904, CTRX), a new parenteral cephalosporin, was used for pediatric infections and the following results were obtained. CTRX was administered twice daily by intravenous injection with about 20 mg/kg in 6 cases consisting of 2 cases with purulent lymphadenitis of the neck, 2 with urinary tract infection, 1 with sepsis and pyelonephritis and 1 with sepsis and purulent lymphadenitis of the neck. The result was excellent in 4 and good in 2. One case with H. influenzae meningitis, receiving 50 mg/kg CTRX by intravenous injection twice daily, showed an excellent response without having any sequela. Among those mentioned above, diarrhea in 2 cases and elevated GOT and GPT in 2 were observed, all of which were transitory and not serious. The blood level of CTRX at 1/2, 1, 2, 4, 6 and 8 hours after intravenous injection with 20 mg/kg to a girl of 8 years and 8 months of age with urinary tract infection was 114, 86, 70, 42, 29 and 21.8 micrograms/ml, respectively. The half-life time was 3.5 hours while the urinary recovery rate up to 6 hours was 58.0%. The concentration in the cerebrospinal fluid of 1 case with H. influenzae meningitis ranged from 2.1 to 8.2 micrograms/ml at 3 hours after administration and from 1.15 to 2.65 micrograms/ml after about 12 hours (prior to the next administration). The above-mentioned results suggest that CTRX is a new antibiotic useful for pediatric infections caused with susceptible bacteria and is effective by intravenous injection with 10 mg/kg twice daily for moderate infections and with 20 mg/kg twice daily for severe ones, except for meningitis. As for purulent meningitis, the administration dosage and frequency will have to be further examined based on the intravenous injection with 50 mg/kg twice daily.