Bacampicillin twice daily: a dose-response study in acute exacerbations of chronic bronchitis

The purpose of the study was to select the minimum effective dose of bacampicillin in a systematic dose-response study in hospitalised patients with acute exacerbations of chronic bronchitis. In all 37 patients Haemophilus influenzae or H. parainfluenzae was isolated from purulent sputum before treatment with 400, 800 or 1200 mg of bacampicillin twice daily for 10 days. There was a significant relationship between the administered dose and clinical results at the end of treatment (P less than 0.01) as well as 1 week later (P less than 0.02). The results show that bacampicillin given twice daily is effective in the treatment of acute bacterial exacerbations of chronic bronchitis, with a minimum effective dose of 800 mg twice daily. A rash was noted in one patient.