General article
Penicillin, ampicillin and cephaloridine in severe exacerbations of purulent chronic bronchitis in elderly patients

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Abstract

Three antimicrobial regimens were compared in elderly patients with severe purulent exacerbations of chronic bronchitis. These were cephaloridine 4·5 and 6 g daily, benzyl penicillin nine million and then six million units daily and ampicillin 4 g daily by mouth with an initial supplement of 3 g daily intramuscularly, each for 14 days.

The benzyl penicillin regimen was inferior and had to be withdrawn. Cephaloridine 6 g daily was marginally superior to the ampicillin regimen but not cephaloridine 4·5 g daily. Overt untoward effects were few, though casts in the urine with cephaloridine 6 g daily were common. Cephaloridine 6 g daily seemed to be an effective antimicrobial agent in elderly subjects with troublesome purulent chronic bronchitis. It should be considered especially when more ordinary treatments have failed. Despite its slight inferiority, circumstances might sometimes make the ampicillin regimen described preferable because only few injections were needed.

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