title: Aztreonam therapy in neutropenic patients with cancer.
abstract: Combinations of aztreonam/vancomycin, aztreonam/vancomycin/amikacin, and moxalactam/ticarcillin were compared in a prospective randomized trial as empiric therapy for febrile neutropenic cancer patients. Vancomycin was added to aztreonam to provide coverage against gram-positive organisms. Of 535 febrile episodes included in the study, 455 were evaluable. The aztreonam/vancomycin and aztreonam/vancomycin/amikacin combinations were both more effective than the moxalactam/ticarcillin combination in a total of 244 episodes of documented infection. The difference was due to the fact that both aztreonam-containing combinations were more effective than the moxalactam/ticarcillin combination in documented gram-positive infections. The three regimens were equally effective in 67 documented infections due to a single gram-negative bacterial species. (The response rates were 87, 86 and 94 percent for the aztreonam/vancomycin, aztreonam/vancomycin/amikacin, and moxalactam/ticarcillin combinations, respectively.) Aztreonam was effective as the single active antibiotic in the treatment of gram-negative infections in neutropenic patients; however, it must be used in combination with another antibiotic to provide gram-positive coverage.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000380:Agranulocytosis / Q000150:complications*; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D001398:Aztreonam / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004341:Drug Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006090:Gram-Negative Bacteria / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D009503:Neutropenia / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000150:complications*; D011897:Random Allocation
chemical_list: D001398:Aztreonam