Clinical evaluation of imipenem/cilastatin in the therapy of severe infections in high-risk patients.
A clinical trial was carried out to evaluate the effectiveness of treatment with imipenem/cilastatin in life-threatening infections in high-risk patients. Thirty hospitalized patients (22 men and 8 women), aged 28 to 78 years, with impaired host defences and severe infections were treated with imipenem/cilastatin at a dosage ranging between 1 and 3 g daily i.v. at 8 or 12 h intervals. The average length of therapy was 8.61 +/- 3.14 days. The isolated organisms were as follows: Escherichia coli [7], Pseudomonas aeruginosa [9], Staphylococcus aureus [5], Streptococcus faecalis [3], Strep. viridans [1], Proteus mirabilis [1], P. vulgaris [2], Klebsiella pneumoniae [2], Citrobacter freundii [2], Bacteroides fragilis [2]. In only one patient the aetiological agent remained unknown and in five patients (16.67%) a mixed infection was observed. Twenty-four patients (80%) were completely cured of infection and 29 isolated organisms (82.86%) were eradicated. No important side-effects were observed.
Cristiano
P
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Institute of Internal Medicine, 1st Medical School, Naples University, Italy.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology; D015377:Cilastatin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015378:Imipenem / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors
D015377:Cilastatin; D015378:Imipenem