title: Randomized, prospective comparison of cefoxitin and gentamicin-clindamycin in the treatment of acute colonic diverticulitis.
abstract: In a randomized, prospective study, single-drug antibiotic therapy with cefoxitin (CFX) was compared to combination therapy with gentamicin and clindamycin (G/C) as definitive treatment for acute colonic diverticulitis. Excluding individuals requiring immediate operation, 51 patients with a clinical diagnosis of diverticulitis, who were hospitalized at five different medical centers, were randomized to receive CFX (30 patients) or G/C (21 patients). Age, sex, and the severity of diverticulitis were similar in the two groups. The cure rates of 90% and 85.7% observed for CFX and G/C, respectively, did not differ significantly. Leukocytosis resolved in a shorter time period in patients treated with CFX than in those treated with G/C (2.5 +/- 0.4 vs 4.1 +/- 0.6 days, respectively) (P = 0.03, Student's t test, unpaired data). Two cases of possibly antibiotic-related toxicity occurred in the CFX group versus three cases in the G/C group. The average cost of a course of CFX therapy was $417 compared with $488 for G/C. In this study, cefoxitin demonstrated efficacy and tolerability similar to that of gentamicin-clindamycin in the treatment of acute colonic diverticulitis and may be preferred in view of its narrower antimicrobial spectrum and lower cost.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Medical College of Virginia, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Kellum
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Sugerman
authors.forename: G F
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Coppa
authors.forename: L R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Way
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Fine
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Herz
authors.forename: E L
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Speck
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Jackson
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Duma
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000368:Aged; D002440:Cefoxitin / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002981:Clindamycin / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004239:Diverticulitis, Colonic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016527:Drug Costs; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D005839:Gentamicins / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies
chemical_list: D005839:Gentamicins; D002981:Clindamycin; D002440:Cefoxitin