title: Aztreonam in the therapy of nosocomial infections in patients with impaired host defenses.
abstract: A clinical trial was carried out to evaluate the effectiveness of treatment with aztreonam in hospital-acquired infections. Twenty patients (13 men and 7 women) with impaired host defenses and nosocomial infections were treated with aztreonam at a dosage ranging 4 and 6 g/day I.V. at 8 or 12-hour intervals. Average length of therapy was 10.35 +/- 4.61 days. The isolated organisms were as follows: Escherichia coli (5), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (5), Klebsiella pneumoniae (3), Enterobacter cloacae (1), Proteus mirabilis (2), Proteus vulgaris (1), Acinetobacter anitratus (1), Serratia marcescens (1), Citrobacter freundii (1), Bacteroides fragilis (3), Bacteroides melaninogenicus (1). In 5 patients (25%) a mixed infection was observed. Sixteen patients (80%) were completely cured from infection and 24 isolated organisms (88.8%) were eradicated. No adverse reactions were observed. Aztreonam has undoubtedly high clinical and bacteriological efficacy in the therapy of nosocomial infections in patients with impaired host defenses.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001398:Aztreonam; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007108:Immune Tolerance; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D001398:Aztreonam