Abstract
We evaluated gatifloxacin (GFLX, AM-1155), a new fluoroquinolone to determine it's clinical usefulness and penetration into sputum samples from three patients with bronchiectasis and one patient with old pulmonary tuberculosis. GFLX was given orally at a dose of 200 mg twice daily for 6-7 days. The maximum range of concentrations of GFLX in serum and sputum were 0.72-3.65 μg/ml and 3.81-7.11 μg/ml, respectively. The penetration rate of this drug into sputum samples were 171-625%. Clinical effects were excellent in one patient, good in one, fair in one, and also poor in one. The causative pathogens were Pseudomonas aeruginosa in three cases, and Haemophilus influenzae and Moraxella catarrhalis in one case. Although H. influenzae and M. catarrhalis were eradicated rapidly after oral administration of GFLX, three strains of P. aeruginosa were not eradicated. Adverse effects and abnormalities on laboratory findings in these patients were not observed. These data support that GFLX is a useful oral fl uoroquinolone for the treatment of chronic respiratory tract infections.
