Comparative clinical study of Sulbactam and ampicillin and clindamycin and tobramycin in infections of soft tissues.

A prospective, randomized, double-blinded study was undertaken to evaluate the effectiveness of Sulbactam (a new semisynthetic, injectable penicillanic acid sulfone) to inhibit beta-lactamase activity of bacteria in infections of the soft tissue. Sixty patients with documented soft tissue infections were prospectively randomized. One-half received 1 gram of Sulbactam per 2 grams of ampicillin every six hours. The other half received 600.0 milligrams of clindamycin every six hours and 1.5 milligrams per kilogram of tobramycin every eight hours. Patient groups were similar in age, sex, associated medical problems and bacteriologic flora of wounds. Sulbactam and ampicillin showed a 93 per cent cure rate or improvement as compared with 81 per cent in the clindamycin and tobramycin group. Eradication of organisms was better in the Sulbactam and ampicillin group (67 versus 35 per cent). Antibiotic activity of ampicillin was significantly augmented by the addition of Sulbactam. Of the 223 total bacteriologic isolates, 38 per cent were sensitive to ampicillin alone. Addition of Sulbactam improved sensitivity to 70 per cent. The Sulbactam and ampicillin combination is an effective combination for the treatment of soft tissue infections.