Cefamandole and cefazolin in the therapy of complicated urinary tract infections.

The clinical efficacy and tolerance of cefamandole, a new cephalosporin antibiotic effective against indole-positive strains of Proteus, and cefazolin were studied after intramuscular administration of 500 mg of either of the two cephalosporins every 8 hr for seven days in a prospective, randomized study of 65 elderly male patients with complicated urinary tarct infections. Both antibiotics were effective in eradicating the infections, and there was no significant difference between the two groups in regard to tolerance and cure rate, as defined by a negative urine culture one week and four to six weeks following discontinuation of the treatment. Because of its broader antibacterial spectrum, cefamandole appears to represent an improvement over previously available cephalosporin antibiotics.