Ceftazidime in serious hospital-acquired infections.
Thirty-four patients, most of them immunocompromised, with severe hospital-acquired infections, including septicaemia, respiratory tract and complicated urinary tract infections were treated with ceftazidime 1-2 g intravenously 8-hourly. Twenty-six patients were cured or improved (76%). The most common pathogens were Enterobacteriaceae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa; Gram-positive organisms were isolated from nine patients. Failure were observed in eight patients (24%), four of them had infections caused by resistant organisms, one had infection with Ps. aeruginosa which became resistant during therapy. Superinfection occurred in 11 patients (32%). Mean peak serum levels after 1 g intravenously were 86.2 +/- 30.3 mg/l; after 2 g intravenously 151.6 +/- 52.2 mg/l. The half-life of serum elimination was 1.8-1.9 h, 2 h in patients with liver function disorders and 3 h in patients with renal impairment. Side effects were mild. Ceftazidime is useful in treating Gram-negative infections, but the gaps in its spectrum, the high rate of superinfection and emergence of resistance are matters of concern.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001419:Bacteria / Q000302:isolation & purification; D002442:Ceftazidime / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology; D004352:Drug Resistance, Microbial; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
D002442:Ceftazidime