The efficacy, safety and pharmacokinetics of intravenous ciprofloxacin in patients with lower respiratory tract infections.

The efficacy and safety of intravenous ciprofloxacin 200 mg every 8 or 12 h and 300 mg every 12 h in treatment lasting 3-14 days were investigated in patients with lower respiratory tract bacterial infections. Patients presented with pneumonia, bronchiectasis with infection, previous pulmonary tuberculosis with infection and diffuse panbronchiolitis. Clinical efficacy was seen in six of eight patients, with apparent recovery in terms of chest radiographs, fever reduction and laboratory findings. Pharmacokinetic analysis in one patient treated with intravenous ciprofloxacin 300 mg showed that at 0.5 h after the first dose, ciprofloxacin serum and sputum concentrations were equivalent (2.45 micrograms/ml and 2.25 micrograms/ml, respectively). Adverse events were recorded in only two patients and involved a slight elevation in liver function tests and eosinophilia. This study indicates that intravenous ciprofloxacin is useful in the treatment of lower respiratory tract infections.