[Clinical experience of mezlocillin in France (author's transl)]

The acylureidopenicillin mezlocillin -- the first penicillin with activity against both ampicillin -- and carbenicillin-resistant micro-organisms--has been clinically tested on a world-wide scale on more than 4000 patients. The present study summarizes the results of clinical trials conducted in France on 580 patients, most of whom had urinary tract or respiratory tract infection, as well as septicaemia, meningitis and various post-operative infections. The daily dosage ranged from 100 to 250 mg/kg (6 to 15 g) divided into three 8-hourly intravenous bolus injections or infusions, or 2 to 3 g doses administered intramuscularly. Eighty-two p. cent of the organisms isolated were completely eradicated, and the incidence of relapses was only 5 %. Therapeutic results were satisfactory in about 90 % of the cases. The best results were obtained in upper and lower UTIs, respiratory infections meningitis, biliary tract infections, peritonitis and septicaemia. Side-effects were those common to all penicillins, i.e. allergic or digestive disorders : they seldom occurred and were always reversible. This, together with the lack of renal or hepatic disturbances, should encourage the use of mezlocillin in extremely or moderately severe infections caused by sensitive organisms. The antibiotic appears to be particularly valuable in patients with impaired renal function or immunodepressed.