Ceftazidime: A significant advance in the treatment of cystic fibrosis

Intravenous ceftazidime (140 mg/kg/day for 14 days) was used in 28 consecutive admissions for severe respiratory infections in children and young adults with cystic fibrosis. In 20 cases ceftazidime was the sole antibiotic, but in the first eight cases it was accompanied by oral flucloxacillin. Pseudomonas aeruginosa was present in all cases, accompanied by Staphylococcus aureus in seven. Both organisms were sensitive to ceftazidime (MIC 0.12 to 8) and no case of ceftazidime resistance was seen, not even in one patient who received six courses. One patient, admitted moribund, died after only one dose had been given, his death being unconnected with the drug. In the other 27 courses there was an excellent clinical response, judged to be as good as our former high dosage carbenicillin and tobramycin combination though with much greater patient acceptibility.