Cefamandole nafate: an evaluation of antibacterial activity, serum levels, clinical effect, and incidence of side reactions in 58 patients.

35 males and 23 females with skin and soft tissue infection, lower respiratory tract infection, urinary tract infection or septicemia with known etiology were treated with cefamandole nafate. The patients were to a large extent (30%) alcoholics and/or drug abusers. Cefamandole was given intravenously as 4 daily doses of 1 g in 52 cases and of 2 g in 6 cases for 8 to 16 (mean 10) days. The effect was considered to be good in 40 patients (70%). Adverse reactions, mostly slight and transient, were seen in 22 patients (38%). Peak serum levels varied from 26 to 82 (mean 50) micrograms/ml after 1 g doses and from 68 to 100 micrograms/ml after 2 g. Previous statements of a better in vitro activity of cefamandole than of older cephalosporins against some gram-negative bacilli were corroborated.