title: Relationship between fluoroquinolone area under the curve: minimum inhibitory concentration ratio and the probability of eradication of the infecting pathogen, in patients with nosocomial pneumonia.
abstract: Our objective was to prospectively determine the factors influencing the probability of a good microbiological or clinical outcome in patients with nosocomial pneumonia treated with a fluoroquinolone. Levofloxacin was administered as an infusion of 500 mg/h for 1.5 h (total dose, 750 mg). For patients with Pseudomonas aeruginosa or methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, a second drug was added (ceftazidime or piperacillin/tazobactam for P. aeruginosa and vancomycin for methicillin-resistant S. aureus). Population pharmacokinetic studies of 58 patients demonstrated that this population handled the drug differently from populations of volunteers. Multivariate logistic regression analysis (n=47 patients) demonstrated that only the age of the patient and the achievement of an area under the curve: minimum inhibitory concentration ratio of > or =87 had a significant effect on eradication of the pathogen (P<.001). Achieving the breakpoint made the patient 4 times more likely to achieve eradication. The effect was greatest in patients > or =67 years old.
authors.affiliation: Ordway Research Institute, Albany, New York 12208, USA. gldrusano@aol.com.
authors.forename: George L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Drusano
authors.forename: Sandra L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Preston
authors.forename: Cynthia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fowler
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Corrado
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Weisinger
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kahn
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000493:pharmacokinetics* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019540:Area Under Curve; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D024841:Fluoroquinolones / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000493:pharmacokinetics* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D064704:Levofloxacin; D008297:Male; D016106:Methicillin Resistance; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D008875:Middle Aged; D015242:Ofloxacin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000493:pharmacokinetics* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018410:Pneumonia, Bacterial / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology; D011023:Pneumonia, Staphylococcal / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology; D011552:Pseudomonas Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology; D011550:Pseudomonas aeruginosa / Q000187:drug effects*; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D024841:Fluoroquinolones; D064704:Levofloxacin; D015242:Ofloxacin