Cefuroxime axetil in the treatment of Salmonella typhi infection (enteric fever) in adults.

A study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Cefuroxime Axetil in enteric fever was carried out in 30 adult hospitalised patients of either sex. A positive blood culture for S. typhi and sensitivity to cefuroxime axetil were confirmed prior to treatment. On admission, the baseline signs and symptoms were recorded and treatment initiated with cefuroxime axetil in a dose of 500 mg bd; which was continued for 7 days after normalization of temperature. The various clinical parameters were followed up daily during the treatment period and discharge permitted on normalization of temperature. Blood culture for S. typhi was repeated 3 days after stopping treatment. Follow-up Widal, stool and urine cultures were done wherever possible to check for relapse or carrier state. All the patients responded clinically to treatment and had bacteriologically negative blood cultures by the end of 14 days treatment. 87% of the patients responded within 7 days of treatment of which 60% were graded as Excellent responders as they responded within 4 days itself; while 13% took a longer time to respond. There were no relapses or carrier state as indicated by negative follow-up stool cultures. Only one patient reported a side-effect of mild headache confirming the safety of the drug. We conclude that Cefuroxime axetil in a dose of 500 mg bd is an effective and safe drug in the treatment of multi drug resistant enteric fever.

Comparative evaluation of the clinical efficacy and safety of ondansetron and metoclopramide in the prophylaxis of emesis induced by cancer chemotherapy regimens including cisplatin.

The efficacy and safety of ondansetron was evaluated and compared with metoclopramide in 93 patients receiving cisplatin containing cancer chemotherapy in a randomized, parallel group study. 8 mg Ondansetron i.v. was administered prior to chemotherapy followed by two further doses of 8 mg i.v. over the first 24 hours. Ondansetron 8 mg b.d. was then administered orally for the next 5 days. The metoclopramide dosage was 20 mg i.v. prior to chemotherapy followed by 2 i.v. doses of 10 mg each, 4 hours apart. For the next 5 days, an oral dose of 20 mg metoclopramide was administered. The anti-emetic efficacy of ondansetron as a prophylactic treatment was found to be significantly more effective than metoclopramide both during the acute and delayed phase of nausea and vomiting. Both treatments were well tolerated with no reported side-effects.