Ceftriaxone therapy in adults with severe lower respiratory tract infections.

Ceftriaxone, a third-generation cephalosporin with a wide spectrum of antimicrobial activity and a long half-life of 8 hours permitting administration every 24 hours, was evaluated in 33 patients with severe lower respiratory tract infections. Twenty-nine patients showed a favourable clinical response and 2 failed to respond to therapy. In 2 patients the clinical response was impossible to assess. In 19 of the 23 patients in whom it was possible to assess bacteriological response, there was a favourable outcome. Serum ceftriaxone levels were well maintained above the minimal inhibitory concentrations of sensitive organisms for the entire dosage interval whether the drug was given by intramuscular or intravenous injection. There were no side-effects that could be attributed to ceftriaxone, which was highly effective in the immediate treatment of both community and nosocomial acquired severe lower respiratory tract infections.