title: Cefotaxime twice daily versus ceftriaxone once daily. A randomized controlled study in patients with serious infections.
abstract: We randomized 365 patients with serious infections to treatment with either 2 g intravenously (IV) cefotaxime every 12 h or 2 g IV ceftriaxone once daily. Clinical response rates were similar in both treatment groups, with success defined as satisfactory or improved response in 107 of 124 (86.3%) evaluable patients in the cefotaxime group compared with 103 of 114 (90.4%) evaluable patients in the ceftriaxone group. Bacteriologic cure rates were also similar in the two groups (86.4%) in the cefotaxime group compared with 87.0% in the ceftriaxone group). There was no statistically significant difference in the incidence of drug-related adverse events in the two groups. These results indicate that 2 g cefotaxime twice daily is as effective, both clinically and bacteriologically, as 2 g ceftriaxone once daily in serious infections caused by susceptible pathogens.
authors.affiliation: Methodist Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, USA.
authors.forename: B P
authors.initials: BP
authors.lastname: Simmons
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Gelfand
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Grogan
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Craft
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016470:Bacteremia / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D002439:Cefotaxime / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002443:Ceftriaxone / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002511:Cephalosporins / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D002511:Cephalosporins; D002443:Ceftriaxone; D002439:Cefotaxime