Temocillin in cystic fibrosis: a retrospective pilot study

Temocillin is currently used in the treatment of acute pulmonary exacerbations caused by Burkholderia cepacia complex and multi-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients despite little published clinical data. This study assessed if intravenous (IV) antibiotic therapy including temocillin was equivalent to standard combination therapy for an acute exacerbation.

A retrospective, pilot cross-over study. Adult patients attending two CF centres between 1997 and 2006 who had received a course of IV antibiotics including temocillin (TIV) and a further IV course (within +/-1 year) which did not include temocillin (NTIV) were included. Outcome measures at the start and end of each IV course were recorded (FEV(1)%, FVC%).

Twenty six patients had received temocillin. Baseline values of FEV(1)% predicted were comparable for both groups (TIV: 37(18%), NTIV: 39(20%)). FEV(1)% increased by 7.12(11.67)% after TIV (p<0.01) and 6.65(7.62)% after NTIV (p<0.01). There was no significant difference between the IV courses in mean %change in lung function TIV versus NTIV (FEV(1) 0.46% [95%CI: -4.55 to 5.48%]).

These data suggest equivalence in the lung function outcome of IV antibiotic therapy includingtemocillin versus standard IV antibiotic therapy.