[Clinical evaluation of biapenem (L-627), a new carbapenem antibiotic in the pediatric field].

We studied the clinical efficacy of biapenem (L-627), a new parenteral carbapenem beta-lactam antibiotic in the pediatric field. L-627 was administered intravenously to 11 patients with ages ranging 2 months to 10 years and 5 months with acute infectious diseases. Doses ranged 28.1 to 72.6 mg/kg/day. The diagnosed diseases included 7 respiratory tract infections, 1 purulent meningitis, 1 sepsis, 1 cervical lymphadenitis and 1 urinary tract infection. Two of these cases one with Mycoplasma infection and the other which had been administered with other antimicrobial agents were not evaluated. The clinical efficacy rate was 77.8% (7/9) and the bacteriological eradication rate was 66.7% (4/6). Laboratory examinations revealed that there was one case with elevated liver enzyme levels with showing elevation of GOT, GPT and LDH. No other side effects attributable to this drug were observed. Thus, it appears that L-627 is a useful antibiotic in treating moderate to severe acute bacterial infections in children.