Amikacin therapy for serious gram-negative bacillary infections

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Published on: March 14, 2014

R D Meyer, R P Lewis, E D Carmalt

    Annals of Internal Medicine
    |December 1, 1975
    PubMed

    Insights

    Amikacin, a new antibiotic, effectively treats serious Gram-negative infections, including those resistant to gentamicin. While generally safe, potential side effects like ototoxicity and nephrotoxicity warrant careful use, especially in prolonged therapies.

    Area of Science:

    • Pharmacology
    • Infectious Diseases
    • Bacteriology

    Background:

    • Amikacin is a novel aminoglycoside antibiotic.
    • It exhibits pharmacological similarities to kanamycin.
    • Its spectrum includes Gram-negative bacilli, even those resistant to gentamicin.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To evaluate the efficacy and safety of amikacin in treating serious Gram-negative bacillary infections.
    • To assess amikacin's effectiveness against gentamicin-resistant pathogens.

    Main Methods:

    • A clinical study involving 36 patients with serious Gram-negative bacillary infections.
    • Treatment administered with amikacin.
    • Patient outcomes (cure or improvement) and adverse events (ototoxicity, nephrotoxicity) were monitored.

    Main Results:

    • A significant response rate of 80.6% (29 out of 36 patients) was observed.
    • Amikacin demonstrated high efficacy in treating gentamicin-resistant infections, with 12 out of 13 patients responding.
    • Minor ototoxicity and possible nephrotoxicity were reported in 6 patients each, often linked to prolonged therapy or prior aminoglycoside exposure.

    Conclusions:

    • Amikacin is a valuable therapeutic option for serious Gram-negative bacillary infections.
    • Its primary indication should be for infections caused by gentamicin-resistant pathogens.
    • Careful monitoring for ototoxicity and nephrotoxicity is recommended, particularly with extended treatment durations.

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