[Dosage of imipenem/cilastatin]

Area of Science:

• Infectious Diseases
• Pharmacology
• Clinical Microbiology

Background:

• Imipenem/cilastatin is a broad-spectrum antibiotic combination.
• Bacterial infections, particularly nosocomial ones, pose significant treatment challenges.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy and safety of imipenem/cilastatin in treating various bacterial infections.
• To determine the optimal dosage and identify common indications and side effects.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective analysis of 594 bacterial infections in 545 patients treated with imipenem/cilastatin.
• Patients received dosages ranging from 1.5 g/day to 4 g/day.
• Bacterial strains were isolated and tested for resistance.

Main Results:

• The most common indications were nosocomial pneumonias, intraabdominal infections, and skin/soft tissue infections.
• Only seven out of 1171 bacterial strains showed primary resistance to imipenem.
• Treatment success, defined by causative agent elimination, was achieved in 87% of patients.
• Treatment failure occurred in 24 patients, and 35 discontinued due to side effects, primarily local irritation.

Conclusions:

• Imipenem/cilastatin demonstrates high efficacy in treating a broad range of bacterial infections.
• The antibiotic combination is generally well-tolerated, with local irritation being the most frequent adverse event.
• Low primary resistance rates suggest continued utility against common pathogens.