title: Beta-lactam antibiotics alone or in combination with gentamicin for therapy of gram-negative bacillary infections in neutropenic patients.
abstract: This study was initiated to determine whether antibiotic combinations are superior to single antibiotics for the treatment of gram-negative bacillary infections in neutropenic patients. Twenty-six patients with Pseudomonas and Proteus infections received either carbenicillin or carbenicillin, plus gentamicin. The cure rates were 83 and 93 per cent, respectively. Twenty-three patients with infections caused by other gram-negative bacilli received either cephalothin plus gentamicin. The cure rates were 64 and 67 per cent, respectively. Superinfection occurred in 26 per cent of the patients who received a single antibiotic compared to 15 per cent of the patients who received a combination. Four of the 26 patients who received gentamicin developed transient azotemia. Combination therapy may be superior to single antibiotic therapy, but this study demonstrated no statistically significant differences.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000380:Agranulocytosis / Q000150:complications*; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002228:Carbenicillin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002512:Cephalothin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004341:Drug Evaluation; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D005839:Gentamicins / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000150:complications; D009503:Neutropenia / Q000150:complications*; D009504:Neutrophils; D011512:Proteus Infections / Q000188:drug therapy; D011552:Pseudomonas Infections / Q000188:drug therapy
chemical_list: D005839:Gentamicins; D002228:Carbenicillin; D002512:Cephalothin