Treatment of Chronic Staphylococcal Osteomyelitis with Cloxacillin and Dicloxacillin—a Comparative Study in 12 Patients

Abstract

12 patients with chronic staphylococcal osteomyelitis were treated with cloxacillin (6 patients) and dicloxacillin (6 patients) in a prospective, comparative study. The drugs were given perorally in the dose 1 g every 4th hour and serum concentrations were followed. 0.5, 1 and 2 hours after administration the serum level of dicloxacillin was about double that of cloxacillin. The lowest serum level of dicloxacillin at the time of administration of the drugs was nearly 3 times as high as the level of cloxacillin. An evaluation of clinical benefit and side-effects revealed no differences between the drugs. The prolonged serum level of dicloxacillin may permit a longer interval between doses than the administration of cloxacillin.