Erythromycin plus sodium bicarbonate in chronic bacterial prostatitis

The problem of chronic bacterial prostatitis has remained one of marked difficulty in achieving chemotherapeutic cure due to the lack of an antibacterial agent which would enter prostatic fluid in sufficient quantity and in a form which retained its antibacterial properties. Erythromycin is known to enter the prostatic fluid, and in this study alkalinization has been demonstrated to make the drug effective in achieving bacteriologic cure of chronic bacterial prostatitis due to gram-negative organisms. Twenty-six men were treated with erythromycin and sodium bicarbonate, and bacteriologic cure was achieved in 88 per cent with symptomatic relief obtained in all patients. This regimen is recommended as the treatment of choice for chronic bacterial prostatitis.