[Evaluation of the efficacy and tolerance of ceftriaxone in childhood].

Between the years 1981 and 1983 we treated with Ceftriaxone (Cx) 34 children--aged 15 days to 13 years--affected with serious infections: 18 infections of lower respiratory tract, 1 sepsis caused by E. Coli, 1 meningitis with cloudy cerebrospinal fluid, 1 submandibular adenitis with otitis, 1 otitis, 12 infections of the urinary tract caused by Proteus mirabilis, E. Coli, Klebsiella oxitocica and Klebsiella pneumoniae. Whenever bacteria were isolated by cultures, sensibility in vitro to Cx was tested. Cx was given i.m. or i.v. at a dose ranging from 50 to 135 mg/Kg/die according to the age and the seriousness of the infections; in 17 children Cx was administered once daily, in the other patients in two divided doses. The following laboratory measurements were obtained before, during and after treatment: complete blood cell count, platelet count, total bilirubin, creatinine, SGOT, SGPT, alkaline phosphatase and urinalysis. Patients were also monitored daily for clinical signs and symptoms such as fever, general conditions, heart rate, respiratory rate, blood pressure. Twenty children showed a good clinical response (1 sepsis, 1 otitis, 1 adenitis, 1 meningitis, 12 infections of the urinary tract, 4 infections of the lower respiratory tract); urine sterilization was achieved after three days of therapy in all patients with infections of the urinary tract. Remarkable clinical and radiological improvement in 9 patients with infections of lower respiratory tract was observed while in only 4 children with bronchopneumonia therapy was ineffective although the dosage of Cx was adeguate; in these patients a further antibiotic treatment was necessary for a complete recovery.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)