[Clinical effect of latamoxef on newborn and premature infants]

Eleven infants ranging 2 days to 3 months of age were studied for clinical evaluation. Ten of them were diagnosed as sepsis or suspected to be septic. Another one contracted umbilical infection. In 7 of 10 cases, causative bacteria were detected by blood culture, that is S. epidermidis in 3 cases, E. cloacae in 2 cases, K. pneumoniae in 1 case and A. calcoaceticus in another. Those infants were treated by parenteral LMOX. Dosage was 30 to 75 mg/kg per day. Clinical results were excellent in 6 cases (3 cases of S. epidermidis, 2 of E. cloacae and 1 of K. pneumoniae) and good in another case (A. calcoaceticus). The other 3 infants clinically diagnosed as sepsis but not proven by blood culture were also treated successfully. The result of the umbilical infection in 1 case was good. Another group of 5 infants ranging 4 to 22 days of age were also treated by LMOX because of suspected bacterial infections. With these infants pharmacokinetic study was done. Peak serum levels after 1 hour drip infusion of 20 mg/kg ranged from 43 to 53 micrograms/ml. Average of half-lives was 2.7 hours. Estimation of distribution volume resulted in 350 to 523 ml/kg body weight.