title: Concentrations of ceftazidime, tobramycin and ampicillin in the cerebrospinal fluid of newborn infants.
abstract: Thirty-five neonates with suspected septicaemia were randomized to treatment with tobramycin or ceftazidime, both in combination with ampicillin. Concentrations of antibiotics in the CSF were measured 1 h after the third, fourth or fifth injection. In 13 of 17 neonates tobramycin CSF concentrations were below 0.5 mg/l. Ceftazidime CSF concentrations ranged from 2.5 to 17 mg/l, which should be sufficient for treatment of infections with group B streptococci and most aerobic gram-negative bacilli but not all strains of Staphylococcus aureus. Ampicillin CSF concentrations ranged from 1 to 80 mg/l, which should be sufficient for treatment of meningitis caused by enterococci and Listeria monocytogenes, the most important neonatal pathogens not covered by ceftazidime.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, Mölndal's Hospital, Sweden.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Tessin
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Trollfors
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Thiringer
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Thörn
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Larsson
mesh_terms: D000667:Ampicillin / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D002442:Ceftazidime / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D008297:Male; D008581:Meningitis / Q000188:drug therapy; D018805:Sepsis / Q000188:drug therapy; D014031:Tobramycin / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*
chemical_list: D000667:Ampicillin; D002442:Ceftazidime; D014031:Tobramycin