Carbenicillin Therapy for Pseudomonas Infections

Abstract

Carbenicillin disodium was effective in the treatment of 91% (54) of 59 infections caused by<i>Pseudomonas</i>organisms. However, 7% (4) of the infections responded only partially, and 10% (6) relapsed when therapy was discontinued. The response rate and relapse rate did not correlate very closely with the results of in vitro sensitivity testing. Only 7% (4) of the strains of pseudomonas became resistant during carbenicillin therapy, and there has been no major increases in carbenicillin-resistant isolates at the University of Texas M. D. Anderson Hospital and Tumor Institute since the widespread usage of this antibiotic was begun. The frequency of pseudomonas as a cause of fatal infection in adults with leukemia has decreased from 31% to 8% (8 deaths) since carbenicillin has been introduced. Superinfection occurred in 17% (10) of the patients receiving this drug. Toxic effects were minimal and consisted mainly of transient elevations in serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase and serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase levels.