title: Ciprofloxacin/metronidazole versus beta-lactam-based treatment of intra-abdominal infections: a meta-analysis of comparative trials.
abstract: Intra-abdominal infections are polymicrobial and result in substantial morbidity and mortality. The combination of ciprofloxacin/metronidazole as well as several beta-lactam-based regimens are among the commonly used regimens for the treatment of patients with such infections. Thus, we sought to review the evidence from available comparative clinical trials studying ciprofloxacin/metronidazole versus broad-spectrum beta-lactam-based regimens in the treatment of intra-abdominal infections. Studies for the meta-analysis were retrieved from searches of the PubMed database. Five available comparative trials (four randomised controlled trials and one non-randomised comparative trial) including 1431 patients with intra-abdominal infections were included in the meta-analysis. There was a statistically significant difference between the compared arms with regard to cure in favour of the ciprofloxacin/metronidazole combination (odds ratio (OR)=1.69, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.20-2.39). There was no statistically significant difference between the compared arms with regard to total mortality (OR=1.10, 95% CI 0.71-1.69), mortality attributable to infection (OR=1.42, 95% CI 0.66-3.06) and toxicity (OR=1.25, 95% CI 0.66-2.35). In conclusion, pooled data from the available comparative trials suggest that the ciprofloxacin/metronidazole combination may be superior to beta-lactam-based therapeutic regimens in the treatment of intra-abdominal infections with regard to cure of infections, although no difference in mortality was found.
authors.affiliation: Alfa Institute of Biomedical Sciences (AIBS), 9 Neapoleos Street, 15123 Marousi, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Dimitrios K
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Matthaiou
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Peppas
authors.forename: Ioannis A
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Bliziotis
authors.forename: Matthew E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Falagas
mesh_terms: D000005:Abdomen; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D002939:Ciprofloxacin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D006801:Humans; D008795:Metronidazole / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D039781:PubMed; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D047090:beta-Lactams / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D047090:beta-Lactams; D008795:Metronidazole; D002939:Ciprofloxacin