title: Efficacy and safety of piperacillin/tazobactam in intra-abdominal infections.
abstract: Intra-abdominal infections are a serious problem for surgeons. Treatment consists of a combination of operation, antimicrobial treatment, and supportive measures. beta-Lactam antibiotics have a major role in the treatment of peritonitis, and in combination with beta-lactamase inhibitors, the penicillins have an even larger part to play than previously. A multicentre prospective trial to evaluate the efficacy and safety of piperacillin/tazobactam in the treatment of serious intra-abdominal infections was conducted in Europe. One hundred and six evaluable patients with documented intra-abdominal infections were treated with piperacillin 4 g/tazobactam 500 mg every eight hours. The most common diagnoses were peritonitis, intra-abdominal abscess, and complicated diverticulitis. A 90% favourable clinical response rate (cured/improved) was found during the first two weeks of treatment. Piperacillin/tazobactam was extremely active against the Gram-negative aerobic, Gram-positive aerobic, and anaerobic bacteria isolated in this trial. Overall, the drug was well tolerated and the side effects were minimal.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, City Hospital of Leverkusen, Germany.
authors.forename: K H
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Vestweber
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Grundel
mesh_terms: D000005:Abdomen; D018784:Abdominal Abscess / Q000188:drug therapy; D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005060:Europe; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D010397:Penicillanic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010538:Peritonitis / Q000188:drug therapy; D010878:Piperacillin / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011446:Prospective Studies; D000078142:Tazobactam; D065093:beta-Lactamase Inhibitors
chemical_list: D065093:beta-Lactamase Inhibitors; D010397:Penicillanic Acid; D000078142:Tazobactam; D010878:Piperacillin