Carbenicillin Treatment of Pseudomonas Pulmonary Infection: Use in Children With Cystic Fibrosis

Thirteen courses of carbenicillin were given to ten children with cystic fibrosis and pulmonary infections due to Pseudomonas aeruginosa. There was clinical improvement following antimicrobial therapy in seven children; however, four children ultimately died. Carbenicillin alone or in combination with polymyxin B sulfate or gentamicin sulfate did not eradicate P aeruginosa from the sputum. There was poor correlation of the clinical result of therapy with the susceptibility of the infecting organism. The only adverse result of carbenicillin administration was a reversible rise in serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase and serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase noted during therapy.