[Treatment with sulbactam/cefoperazone of severe infections in patients with hematological disorders]

Infectious episodes in 90 patients with hematological disorders were treated with sulbactam/cefoperazone (SBT/CPZ), a new combination drug of a potent beta-lactamase inhibitor, sodium sulbactam, and a third generation cephalosporin, sodium cefoperazone. Clinical responses to the SBT/CPZ regimen were excellent in 23 cases, good in 30 cases, fair in 11 cases, and poor in 26 cases. The overall efficacy rate (percentage of cases showing excellent or good responses) was 58.9%. Efficacy rates classified according to different infections were: 80% in documented sepsis, 57.6% in suspected sepsis, 61.1% in pneumonia and 50% in other infections. One episode of side effect was encountered with redness and itching of skin. Hepatic disorders were observed in 3 cases. These adverse reactions, however, were not serious. These results indicate that SBT/CPZ has a high therapeutic efficacy to severe infections in patients with hematological disorders.