[Experimental and clinical studies of intravenous infusion of amikacin in acute respiratory tract infections].

Pharmacokinetic and clinical studies on amikacin (AMK) by intravenous drip (i.v.d.) infusion were performed, and the following results were obtained. 1. Serum concentrations of AMK were determined in 4 patients with normal renal function after 1 hour i.v.d. infusion of 200 mg of AMK. The mean peak serum concentration was 14.20 +/- 0.88 micrograms/ml at the termination of i.v.d. infusion and declined to 2.30 +/- 0.79 micrograms/ml at 4 hours later. The half-life was 1.55 +/- 0.28 hours. 2. Twenty-three patients with severe pulmonary infection received 1 hour i.v.d. infusion of 200 mg of AMK 2 to 3 times a day. Clinical response was good in 17 cases, fair in 4 and poor in 2. Thus, 73.9% of the patients responded to AMK. 3. No adverse effects were observed with the exception of tinnitus and hearing loss in 1 case. Therefore, it is thought that the i.v.d. infusion of AMK will be useful for treatment of severe infectious patients with bleeding tendency and emaciation.