Efficacy and safety of oral ciprofloxacin in the treatment of respiratory tract infections associated with chronic hepatitis.

Twenty patients with lower respiratory tract infections presumably caused by ciprofloxacin-susceptible bacteria were admitted to a non-comparative, prospective clinical study. All patients were hospitalized for chronic hepatitis at various stages of the disease. Ciprofloxacin was given orally at a dose of 250 mg every 12 hours for five to 10 days. Patients had either acute bronchitis, chronic bronchitis in the acute phase, or acute tracheobronchitis. In 19 of 20 patients treated, there was a favorable outcome (15 cures and four improvements). In 17 patients, the presumably causative pathogen was eradicated. No side effect was observed except for oral candidiasis, which occurred in two patients. This study demonstrates the clinical and bacteriologic efficacy of ciprofloxacin in pulmonary infection in patients with severe impairment of liver function.