Preliminary evaluation of ciprofloxacin, a new 4-quinolone antibiotic, in the treatment of febrile neutropenic patients

• Published in: Journal of antimicrobial chemotherapy Vol. 18 Suppl D; p. 165
• Main Authors: Smith, G M, Leyland, M J, Farrell, I D, Geddes, A M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England 01-11-1986
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Agranulocytosis - complications; Bacterial Infections - complications; Bacterial Infections - drug therapy; Ciprofloxacin - metabolism; Ciprofloxacin - therapeutic use; Female; Fever; Half-Life; Humans; Kinetics; Leukemia - complications; Leukemia, Lymphoid - complications; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute - complications; Lymphoproliferative Disorders - complications; Male; Middle Aged; Neutropenia - complications; Sepsis - drug therapy
• ISSN: 0305-7453
• DOI: 10.1093/jac/18.Supplement_D.165

Twenty-four episodes of fever in neutropenic patients with haematological malignancy were treated with ciprofloxacin. In 13 episodes ciprofloxacin was used after failure of first-line antibiotic therapy, and in 11 episodes because of a history of allergy to the proposed first line antibiotics. Improvement or temporary improvement was seen in 64% of patients with evaluable infection. Fifty per cent of patients with bacteraemia improved. Resistance to ciprofloxacin developed in strains of staphylococci and streptococci, but Gram-negative organisms were generally extremely sensitive to the antibiotic. One patient developed a severe photosensitivity rash but there were no other adverse reactions. Preliminary pharmacokinetic data were obtained following intravenous infusion of 400 mg of ciprofloxacin in five patients. The mean plasma half-life was 3.6 +/- 1.0 h and the mean plasma clearance was 8.42 +/- 2.5 ml/min/kg.