Clinical evaluation of tobramycin in respiratory and systemic infections in immunodepressed and normal patients.

Twelve patients with acute or chronic pneumonia due mainly to gram-negative bacilli, two patients with pseudomonas endocarditis, and two patients with seratia sepsis were treated with 80-160 mg of tobramycin in two daily doses. Fourteen infected patients with underlying leukemia or lymphoma received this dose of tobramycin combined with cefazolin or penicillin. Most respiratory infections were cured or markedly improved. with eradication or significant reduction in the number of infecting organisms. One case of pseudomonas endocarditis and both cases of serratia sepsis were also cured. Combined treatment with tobramycin and beta-lactam antibiotics resulted in clinical and bacteriological improvement in 50% of systemic immunodepressed patients with sepsis and/or pneumonia.