title: Evaluation of aztreonam in the treatment of serious gram-negative infections in a university hospital in Saudi Arabia.
abstract: The efficacy and safety of aztreonam were evaluated in an open trial at King Khalid University Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. A total of 45 critically-ill adult patients were enrolled in the study. All patients with documented Gram-negative infection were treated with aztreonam as monotherapy. Antibiotics active against only Gram-positive and/or anaerobic organisms were allowed. Twenty cases were clinically evaluable. Eleven had lower respiratory tract infections (pneumonia), 3 had urinary tract infections, and 6 had septicemia. Clinical signs and symptoms, cultures and other laboratory profiles were assessed prior to treatment, at 4-6 days during treatment and within 2-3 days of the end of therapy (usually 7-15 days). Nineteen out of 20 (95%) had a satisfactory clinical response. All cases with septicemia and urinary tract infections were microbiologically cured. The overall microbiological response rate was 90%. Fifty-five percent of all infections were caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Two patients with Gram-negative pneumonia due to P. aeruginosa did not respond microbiologically to aztreonam therapy. No serious adverse events requiring discontinuation of aztreonam therapy were reported. No mortality occurred.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Pharmacy, King Khalid University Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: D F
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Fayed
authors.forename: N S
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Dahmash
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Saddique
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Shibl
mesh_terms: D000150:Acinetobacter / Q000187:drug effects; D000151:Acinetobacter Infections / Q000188:drug therapy; D000328:Adult; D001398:Aztreonam / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016470:Bacteremia / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology; D002954:Citrobacter; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology; D004756:Enterobacteriaceae Infections / Q000188:drug therapy; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000187:drug effects; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000188:drug therapy; D016905:Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D007709:Klebsiella / Q000187:drug effects; D007710:Klebsiella Infections / Q000188:drug therapy; D011014:Pneumonia / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology; D011512:Proteus Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology; D011513:Proteus mirabilis / Q000187:drug effects; D011549:Pseudomonas / Q000187:drug effects; D011552:Pseudomonas Infections / Q000188:drug therapy; D014552:Urinary Tract Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: D001398:Aztreonam