[Clinical evaluation of imipenem/cilastatin sodium in children].

Imipenem/cilastatin sodium (MK-0787/MK-0791) was evaluated for its safety, efficacy and pharmacokinetics in children. Thirty cases of bacterial infections were treated with MK-0787/MK-0791 at a daily dose of 40 to 222 mg/kg for 2.25 to 13 days. Clinical cure rate was 93% and bacteriological efficacy rate was 88%. Treated diseases included severe tonsillitis due to mixed anaerobic infections, pneumonia, sepsis, brain abscess and soft tissue infections. Two cases, one with periosteomyelitis due to methicillin-resistant S. aureus and the other with pulmonary abscess due to Haemophilus influenzae (other than type b), failed to respond to the MK-0787/MK-0791 therapy. The serum half-life of MK-0787 was 0.892 hour in children with normal renal functions. An episode of convulsions in a case of sepsis with bacterial croup and brain edema was considered to be associated with the MK-0787/MK-0791 therapy. From the present study, MK-0787/MK-0791 appears a safe and effective antibiotic when used in children with a variety of bacterial infections.