Clinical and laboratory evaluation of cefoperazone

Cefoperazone, a third-generation cephalosporin derivative, has been reported to have excellent antibacterial activity against a wide range of gram-positive and gram-negative pathogens, including Pseudomonas aeruginosa. We treated 54 patients with a variety of clinical infections with cefoperazone and determined the susceptibilities of their 90 bacterial isolates. An additional 25 aerobic isolates obtained from patients treated with cefamandole in a comparison study were also tested for susceptibility to cefoperazone. Thus a total of 115 isolates were studied in vitro. One hundred nine (95%) of 115 bacterial isolates, including gram-positive and gram-negative aerobes and anaerobes, were susceptible to less than or equal to 32 microgram/ml. Only four isolates (three Escherichia coli and one Serratia marcescens) were highly resistant (minimal inhibitory concentration greater than or equal to 128 microgram/ml). We were able to assess clinical outcome of cefoperazone therapy in 53 patients; favorable responses (cure of improvement) were found in 48 (91%). P. aeruginosa was a major pathogen in three patients treated with cefoperazone; all three showed a favorable response. Side effects of cefoperazone therapy were noted in seven (13%) patients, and laboratory abnormalities were observed in 11 (20%) patients; all of these were mild and readily reversible. Cefoperazone thus appears to be safe, well tolerated, and suitable for use in a variety of human infections.