title: Norfloxacin versus vancomycin/polymyxin for prevention of infections in granulocytopenic patients.
abstract: Selective antimicrobial decontamination with norfloxacin was compared with vancomycin/polymyxin for prophylaxis of bacterial infections in granulocytopenic patients. In the group of patients receiving norfloxacin, there were a lower number of acquired gram-negative bacillary organisms per patient (0.88 versus 1.86, p = 0.002), fewer patients with documented infection (16 of 36 versus 20 of 30, p = 0.12), and fewer cases of gram-negative septicemia (0 of 36 versus five of 30, p = 0.02). Norfloxacin was better tolerated (30 of 36 versus 16 of 30 patients highly compliant, p = 0.02), and associated with fewer gastrointestinal side effects (eight of 36 versus 14 of 36 patients, p = 0.07). These results suggest that norfloxacin is a more tolerable and efficacious oral antimicrobial agent than vancomycin/polymyxin for the prevention of serious gram-negative bacillary infections in granulocytopenic patients.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000380:Agranulocytosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000382:microbiology; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004341:Drug Evaluation; D004361:Drug Tolerance; D005260:Female; D006090:Gram-Negative Bacteria; D006094:Gram-Positive Bacteria; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009181:Mycoses / Q000517:prevention & control; D009643:Norfloxacin / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009761:Nystatin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011113:Polymyxins / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014640:Vancomycin / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D011113:Polymyxins; D009761:Nystatin; D014640:Vancomycin; D009643:Norfloxacin