This study examined the efficacy and safety of a new β-lactam/β-lactamase inhibitor of Amoxicillin/Sulbactam(Sultamox®) compared with Amoxicillin/Clavulanic acid(Augmentin®) in Bronchial asthma with mixed infection.

A randomized, controlled study was conducted in 56 patients who are diagnosed as Bronchial asthma with mixed infection. The patients were randomly assigned to receive Sultamox® 1500mg or Augmentin® 1200mg intravenously 3 times daily during admission period. Sputum culture, CBC and blood chemistry were taken before, during and after treatment. Symptom scores for cough, sputum amount, sputum color and dyspnea were graded from 1(no symptom) to 4(severe symptom). All patients were evaluated for clinical efficacy on clinical, microbiological responses and side effects or toxicities.

In Sultamox® treatment group, reduction of total symptom score was 2.54 and it was 2.40 in the Augmentin® treatment group which revealed a statistically significant difference(p<0.01). The clinical success rate were 86.7%(n=30) for the 30 clinically evaluable patients who received Sultamox? and 73.1%(n=26) for the 26 clinically evaluable patients who received Augmetin?. Drug-related serious adverse events were not occurred in all patients.

Sultamox® and Augmentin® are as effective and safe as the comparative therapies for community acquired lower respiratory tract of asthma patients.

Cerivastain(LIPOBAY®) is recently developed HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor which is effective in lowering serum cholesterol levels at microgram does. We evaluated the clinical efficacy and safety of cerivastatin(LIPOBAY®) in patients with hypercholesterolemia.

Thirty-seven patients(male : 13, female : 24) with hypercholesteolemia defined as baseline serum total cholesterol ≥240mg/dl, or ≥220mg/dl in patients with known coronary artery disease were included for this study. After 2 weeks of low cholesterol diet, if the serum total choesterol level meet the criteria, cerivastain 0.4mg/day was prescribed for 8 weeks. Clinical follow-up and laboratory tests were performed 4 weeks and 8 weeks after medication.

After 4 weeks of cerivastain 0.4mg/day treatment, low density lipoprotein(LDL) cholesterol decreased 38% and total cholesterol decreased 28.8% from baseline. Triglyceride decreased 11.6%, and high density lipoprotein(HDL) cholesterol decreased 7.8% from baseline. Total cholesterol/HDL ratio decreased 20.8% and LDL/HDL ratio decreased 31.1% from baseline. After 8 weeks of treatment, no further significant changes were noted compared with the values at 4 weeks. Cervastatin was discontinued in one patient(2.7%) due to continuous liver enzyme elevation.

Cerivastatin 0.4mg/day is effective in lowering serum cholesterol levels without significant adverse reactions. Cerivastatin is effective and safe for patients with hypercholesterolemia who needs aggressive LDL cholesterol lowering.