Physiopathological rationale and clinical aims of the use of a combination of cefuroxime and N-acetylcysteine in pneumology.

The trial population consisted of 50 patients suffering from acute exacerbations of chronic bronchial disease processes. Forty patients were treated with an extempore combination of cefuroxime and N-acetylcysteine at the doses of 2 g and 600 mg/day respectively in two i.m. administrations. The other 10 patients were treated with N-acetylcysteine alone at the same dose. Respiratory tract clinical and instrumental parameters were investigated, and bacteriological tests were performed on sputum samples before and after treatment. Tolerance of the treatment was assessed on the basis of measurement of blood-chemistry parameters.