title: The importance of wound infection in antibiotic failures in the therapy of postpartum endometritis.
abstract: A prospective, randomized, double-blind trial was done to compare the efficacy of cefoxitin (2 grams given intravenously every six hours) with ceftizoxime (2 grams given intravenously every 12 hours) in the treatment of postpartum endometritis. Thirty-eight patients received cefoxitin and 43 received ceftizoxime. Demographic variables (age, gravidity, parity and estimated gestational age) and risk factors (cesarean section, operating time, duration of ruptured membranes and labor, number of vaginal examinations and internal monitoring) were not statistically different in the two antibiotic groups. In the cefoxitin group, eight of 38 patients failed initial antibiotic therapy and six of 43 patients in the ceftizoxime group failed (p = 0.399). In the univariate analysis, abdominal wound infection (p = 0.003) and higher gestational age (p = 0.008) were associated with failure of the antibiotic. With multiple logistic regression, only abdominal wound infection was associated with failure of the antibiotic (p = 0.0002). We conclude that cefoxitin and ceftizoxime are equally effective in the therapy of postpartum endometritis and that abdominal wound infection is primarily responsible for persistent fever and, therefore, failure of the antibiotic in patients with postpartum endometritis.
authors.affiliation: Medical College of Virginia, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond.
authors.forename: D E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Soper
authors.forename: N J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Brockwell
authors.forename: H P
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Dalton
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002440:Cefoxitin / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015296:Ceftizoxime / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002585:Cesarean Section / Q000009:adverse effects; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004716:Endometritis / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011645:Puerperal Infection / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012307:Risk Factors; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000150:complications; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D002440:Cefoxitin; D015296:Ceftizoxime