Clinical experience with cefamandole in pneumonia

The efficacy and patient acceptance of i.m. cefamandole 1 000 mg 8 h and 500 mg 8 h, were compared in the treatment of assumed community-acquired pneumonia in 59 hospitalized adult patients. Of 31 patients treated with 1 000 mg 8 h, 94% had a satisfactory clinical response with a 13% bacteriological failure rate. Of 28 patients treated with 500 mg 8 h, 89% had a satisfactory clinical response with a 60% bacteriological failure rate. The only side effect registered was pain at the injection site after doses of more than 1 000 mg. The pain could be eliminated by the addition of 0.5 ml of lidocaine to the drug solution before injection.