title: Duration of antimicrobial prophylaxis in vascular surgery.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This randomized clinical trial compares the incidence of wound infection after vascular surgery in patients who received prophylaxis using the same antibiotic as either a single-dose or a multiple-dose regimen (until the lines/drain tubes were removed, but not for more than 5 days).
  
  
  METHODS
  Each of the 302 patients who entered the study received ticarcillin 3.0 g/clavulanate 0.1 g (Timentin) intravenously immediately after the induction of anesthesia. Patients randomized to the multiple-dose group received an average of 14.3 doses (range 9 to 20).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The incidence of wound infections was 18% (28 of 153) for patients in the single-dose group and 10% (15 of 149) for patients in the multiple-dose group (P = 0.04; relative risk estimate = 2.00, 95% confidence interval = -1.02 to 3.92).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A multiple-dose antibiotic regimen, rather than single-dose therapy, provides optimal prophylaxis against wound infection for patients undergoing vascular surgery.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Royal Perth Hospital, Australia.
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Hall
authors.forename: K J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Christiansen
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Goodman
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lawrence-Brown
authors.forename: F J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Prendergast
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rosenberg
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Mills
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Hall
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D019072:Antibiotic Prophylaxis / Q000379:methods*; D002969:Clavulanic Acids / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013982:Ticarcillin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014656:Vascular Surgical Procedures
chemical_list: D002969:Clavulanic Acids; C043215:ticarcillin-clavulanic acid; D013982:Ticarcillin