title: Comparison of the activity of meropenem with that of other agents in the treatment of intraabdominal, obstetric/gynecologic, and skin and soft tissue.
abstract: Meropenem, a new carbapenem with improved stability in the presence of human dehydropeptidase-I[1], was evaluated in three prospective, multicenter, randomized, controlled clinical trials in North America. We compared the in vitro activity of meropenem and conventional antimicrobial agents for the treatment of intraabdominal, obstetric/gynecologic, and skin or soft tissue infections as well as the responses of pathogens to all of these agents. The trials of the drug for intraabdominal infection were double blind, and those for the obstetric/gynecologic and soft tissue infections were open labeled. Overall, MICs of meropenem for pathogens were lower, and the pathogen response rates were at least comparable to those for the following comparative agents: clindamycin plus tobramycin (for intraabdominal infections); clindamycin plus gentamicin (for obstetric/gynecologic infections); and imipenem and cilastatin (for skin or soft tissue infections). Meropenem has high in vitro potency and covers a broad spectrum of anaerobic and aerobic pathogens.
authors.affiliation: Zeneca Pharmaceuticals, Wilmington, Delaware 19897, USA.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pitkin
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Sheikh
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hemsell
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Nichols
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nadler
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dowzicky
mesh_terms: D000005:Abdomen; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D005831:Genital Diseases, Female / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D000077731:Meropenem; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D017192:Skin Diseases, Bacterial / Q000188:drug therapy*; D018461:Soft Tissue Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D013845:Thienamycins / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D013845:Thienamycins; D000077731:Meropenem