title: Bactericidal activity of ceftazidime in serum compared with that of ticarcillin combined with amikacin.
abstract: We compared the bactericidal activity of serum attained 1 and 6 h after the termination of infusions of either ceftazidime (2 g) or ticarcillin plus amikacin (5 g and 7.5 mg/kg, respectively) in 6 volunteers against a panel of the most common pathogens found in the blood of febrile granulocytopenic cancer patients. Ceftazidime consistently produced significantly higher serum bactericidal titers at both 1 and 6 h against all species of gram-negative bacilli. Its performance against Pseudomonas aeruginosa was especially impressive. The geometric mean titer against this organism was 1:41 at 1 h, contrasted with 1:12 for ticarcillin plus amikacin (P = 0.025). However, for Staphylococcus aureus, the geometric mean serum bactericidal titer of ceftazidime was 1:3.6 at 1 h and undetectable at 6 h. Ceftazidime shows promise as single-agent therapy for serious gram-negative bacillary infections. Whether this promise is fulfilled and whether the observed antistaphylococcal activity is adequate for empiric therapy in infected granulocytopenic patients need further investigation.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000583:Amikacin / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000097:blood; D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects*; D001770:Blood Bactericidal Activity / Q000187:drug effects; D002442:Ceftazidime / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004338:Drug Combinations; D004755:Enterobacteriaceae / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D007612:Kanamycin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D008297:Male; D010406:Penicillins / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011550:Pseudomonas aeruginosa / Q000187:drug effects; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects; D013982:Ticarcillin / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D004338:Drug Combinations; D010406:Penicillins; D007612:Kanamycin; D000583:Amikacin; D002442:Ceftazidime; D013982:Ticarcillin