Single daily dose ceftriaxone plus amikacin treatment of febrile episodes in neutropenic patients attending day hospital for hematologic malignancies.
Once-a-day ceftriaxone and amikacin was administered in case of fever to 46 neutropenic patients attending day hospital for hematologic malignancies. All patients were admitted to a short-term ward for infective complications, but were discharged in the event of prompt disappearance of fever and of clinical signs of infection continuing their therapy either by daily reporting to the hospital, or at home. Response to the initial empiric therapy was obtained in 37 cases (76%). Twenty-four patients who promptly responded to therapy completed their treatment on an outpatient basis, their mean number of days of hospitalization being reduced to 4.6 versus a mean of 9.6 days in the overall patient population being considered. Since the outpatient treatment accounted for 21% of the antibiotic therapy administered, the above treatment may result in cost containment and better quality of life for patients, provided that these data are confirmed by prospective randomized studies.
Martino
P
P
Department of Human Biopathology, La Sapienza University, Rome, Italy.
Girmenia
C
C
Raccah
R
R
Micozzi
A
A
Cimino
G
G
Sgadari
C
C
Gentile
G
G
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000583:Amikacin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects; D002443:Ceftriaxone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003631:Day Care, Medical; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D005334:Fever / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D006402:Hematologic Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy; D009503:Neutropenia / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000150:complications*; D009894:Opportunistic Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D010865:Pilot Projects
D002443:Ceftriaxone; D000583:Amikacin