title: A prospective study of cefepime versus ticarcilline/clavulanate as empirical treatment of febrile neutropenia in lymphoma patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To check the effectiveness of ticarcillin clavulanate versus cefepime as monotherapy in febrile neutropenia in lymphoma patients and also to check tolerability profile of both drugs.
  
  
  METHODS
  We randomly assigned 107 neutropenic patients to receive either cefepime or ticarcillin/clavulanate. The clinical efficacy and tolerability profile of both drugs were compared using either cefepime or ticarcillin clavulanate (TC) as an empirical treatment for management of febrile neutropenia in lymphoma patients only with same characteristics at time of presentation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A significant difference in efficacy of the two treatment arms was noted. A successful outcome was reported with 28 (51%) out of 55 in cefepime arm compared to 16 (42%) out of 52 patients in ticarcillin/clavulanate group (p = 0.35; 95% Confidence). The distribution of time for defervesence was estimated for each treatment group and a trend to a shorter time for defervesence was found in the CEFEPIME group (48.4 hour for cefepime, 58.28 hour for TC group; p = 0.018). For microbiologically documented infections, the successful eradication rate was 49% (6 of 14 patients) for TC group as compared to 83% (10 of 12 patients) for cefepime group. This difference was statistically significant for microbiologically documented infections. Twenty seven (52%) patients of TC group and 19 (35%) of cefepime group required modifications of antibiotic regimen. The most frequent modifications consisted of the addition of either an amino glycoside (amikacin) or glycopeptides (vancomycin).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CEFEPIME regimen was more effective than TC regimen, with a consistent trend toward a better outcome associated with cefepime compared to Ticarcillin/clavulanate.
authors.affiliation: Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital and Research Centre, Lahore, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Anjum
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Naseem
authors.forename: Yasser
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hussain
authors.forename: Bashir
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ahmad
authors.forename: Muhammad Tahir
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Aziz
authors.forename: Mansoor
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ahmad
authors.forename: Hassan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hameed
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000077723:Cefepime; D002511:Cephalosporins / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D019818:Clavulanic Acid / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D005334:Fever / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000188:drug therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009503:Neutropenia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013982:Ticarcillin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D002511:Cephalosporins; D019818:Clavulanic Acid; D000077723:Cefepime; D013982:Ticarcillin