title: Comparison between cefotaxime and a combination of benzylpenicillin and cloxacillin as an antibiotic prophylaxis in cardiac surgery with cardio-pulmonary bypass.
abstract: In a prospective randomized trial, 422 patients undergoing elective cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass were studied for comparing two types of prophylactic antibiotic treatment. One group, 204 patients, received 4 doses of cefotaxime for 2 days. The other group, 198 patients, received 6 doses of benzylpenicillin combined with cloxacillin for 3 days. Sixty percent received the planned cefotaxime prophylaxis (CTX), while 43.4% received the planned combined benzylpenicillin with cloxacillin prophylaxis (BPC). This was because several patients in both groups required additional antibiotics for treatment of high fever (39.7%, CTX-ADD, in the cefotaxime group compared to 56.6%, BPC-ADD in the other group (p less than 0.01). The overall infection rate in the groups receiving the planned prophylaxis was significantly lower (4.1%) in the CTX-group compared to the 14% in the BPC-group (p less than 0.05). Early infections (less than 14 days) were lower in the groups CTX-group (3%) compared to the BPC-group (16%) (p less than 0.046). In the groups receiving additional antibiotics for fever (CTX-ADD and BPC-ADD), the former had a significantly lower number of infections, 16 compared to 23, in the latter group (p less than 0.01). There were significantly fewer early infections in the CTX-ADD compared to the BPC-ADD group (4 vs. 10 respectively, p less than 0.01). No deep infections were seen when CTX or CTX-ADD was used, while 6 deep wound infections occurred when BPC or BPC-ADD was used. The lowest rate of positive cultures of bacteria was seen in the CTX-group (p less than 0.01).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Sahlgrenska Hospital, University of Göteborg, Sweden.
authors.forename: D G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Roberts
authors.forename: B M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Roberts
authors.forename: L E
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Peterson
authors.forename: N M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: al-Khaja
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000517:prevention & control; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures; D002315:Cardiopulmonary Bypass; D002439:Cefotaxime / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003023:Cloxacillin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010400:Penicillin G / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000517:prevention & control; D011292:Premedication; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011897:Random Allocation; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000517:prevention & control
chemical_list: D002439:Cefotaxime; D003023:Cloxacillin; D010400:Penicillin G