Effect of early antibiotic prophylaxis with ertapenem and meropenem in experimental acute pancreatitis in rats.
BACKGROUND
The clinical course in acute necrotizing pancreatitis is mainly influenced by bacterial infection of pancreatic and peripancreatic necrosis. The effect of two antibiotic treatments for early prophylaxis was studied in the taurocholate model of necrotizing pancreatitis in the rat.


METHODS
Sixty male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into three pancreatitis groups (15 animals each) and a sham-operated group (15 animals, control group). Pancreatitis was induced by intraductal infusion of 3% taurocholate under sterile conditions. Animals were placed on one of two different antibiotic regimens (15 mg/kg ertapenem or 20 mg/kg meropenem, one shot) after the induction of pancreatitis or received no antibiotics (control). All animals were sacrificed after 24 h to study pancreatic and extrapancreatic infection.


RESULTS
Early antibiotic prophylaxis with either erapenam or meropenem significantly decreased pancreatic infection from 12/15 (control group) to 4/15 (ertapenem antibiotic group) and 3/15 (meropenem antibiotic group) (P < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
In our animal model of necrotizing pancreatitis, early antibiotic prophylaxis with ertapenem and meropenem reduced bacterial infection of the pancreas. The efficacy of early antibiotic prophylaxis with ertapenem in the clinical setting should be subject to further research.
Catena
Fausto
F
Transplant, General and Emergency Surgery DPT, St. Orsola-Malpighi University Hospital, Via Massarenti 9, 40138, Bologna, Italy. fcatena@aosp.bo.it
Ansaloni
L
L
Gazzotti
F
F
Pezzilli
R
R
Nanetti
A
A
Santini
D
D
Nardo
B
B
Pinna
A D
AD
D000818:Animals; D019072:Antibiotic Prophylaxis; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000517:prevention & control*; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D000077727:Ertapenem; D008297:Male; D000077731:Meropenem; D019283:Pancreatitis, Acute Necrotizing / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D011336:Probability; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012016:Reference Values; D012307:Risk Factors; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013845:Thienamycins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D047090:beta-Lactams / Q000494:pharmacology*
D013845:Thienamycins; D047090:beta-Lactams; D000077731:Meropenem; D000077727:Ertapenem