title: Comparison of meropenem with amikacin plus ceftazidime in the empirical treatment of febrile neutropenia: a prospective randomised multicentre trial in patients without previous prophylactic antibiotics. Meropenem Study Group of Turkey.
abstract: Eighty three patients with neutropenia and cancer were randomised to receive either 1 g meropenem tds or amikacin 15 mg/kg single dose daily plus ceftazidime 2 g tds. No prophylactic antibiotics were allowed before entry to the trial. Seventy seven patients were available for analysis. Infection was microbiologically or clinically documented in 53 episodes (69%). The overall success rate without adjustment was 49% in monotherapy, 37.5% in the combination group. These rates were increased to 65% and 56%, respectively when secondary infection episodes requiring a different class of chemotherapy were taken into account. Median duration for defervescence was 3 days in successfully treated patients in both groups. Only minor reversible side effects were noted in both treatment arms. Meropenem monotherapy seemed as effective and safe as amikacin plus ceftazidime for the empirical treatment of neutropenic cancer patients with fever.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Hacettepe University School of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey. ma08-k@tr-net.net.tr
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Akova
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Akan
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Korten
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Biberoğlu
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hayran
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Unal
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kars
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kansu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000583:Amikacin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019072:Antibiotic Prophylaxis; D002442:Ceftazidime / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D005334:Fever / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D000077731:Meropenem; D008875:Middle Aged; D009503:Neutropenia / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013845:Thienamycins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D013845:Thienamycins; D000583:Amikacin; D002442:Ceftazidime; D000077731:Meropenem