title: Cefepime versus ceftazidime for the treatment of serious bacterial infections.
abstract: The objective of this open, comparative and randomized clinical trial was to compare the safety and efficacy of cefepime and ceftazidime in the treatment of adults with severe infections. Fifty patients were included; 25 received cefepime (1 g b.i.d.) and 25 ceftazidime (1 g t.i.d.). Demographic characteristics of the groups were similar. The drugs were well tolerated and adverse reactions were minor and comparable in both groups. Forty-four patients were evaluated (22 from each group). There was a satisfactory clinical response in 86% and 77% in the cefepime and ceftazidime groups, respectively. In patients with microbiologically documented infection 83% (15/18) treated with cefepime and 64% (9/14) treated with ceftazidime responded satisfactorily (no statistical significance). In conclusion, the data confirms that cefepime is as safe and effective as ceftazidime for the treatment of serious bacterial infections, with the advantage of being administrated only twice daily.
authors.affiliation: Instituto Nacional de la Nutrición Salvador Zubirán, Tlalpan Mexico, Mexico.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ponce-de-León
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: López-Meneses
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sifuentes-Osornio
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000077723:Cefepime; D002442:Ceftazidime / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002511:Cephalosporins / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004352:Drug Resistance, Microbial; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D002511:Cephalosporins; D000077723:Cefepime; D002442:Ceftazidime