Clinical experience with imipenem/cilastatin: analysis of a multicenter study
Reviews of Infectious Diseases
|July 1, 1985
Summary
Imipenem/cilastatin demonstrated high efficacy in treating various infections, achieving a 79% pathogen eradication rate. This antibiotic combination showed good renal tolerance with minimal gastrointestinal side effects, making it a viable treatment option.
Area of Science:
- Infectious Diseases
- Pharmacology
- Clinical Microbiology
Background:
- Bacterial infections pose a significant global health challenge.
- Effective antimicrobial therapies are crucial for managing diverse infections.
- Imipenem/cilastatin is a broad-spectrum antibiotic combination.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of imipenem/cilastatin in a multicenter study.
- To assess pathogen eradication rates and identify adverse effects.
- To recommend a susceptibility breakpoint for imipenem/cilastatin.
Main Methods:
- Multicenter study involving 338 patients with various infections.
- Treatment with imipenem/cilastatin (mean dosage 1.6 g/day for 8.5 days).
- Microbiological and clinical outcome assessment, including pathogen eradication and adverse event monitoring.
Main Results:
- Microbiological proof for 286 infections; clinical cure in 216 and improvement in 18.
- Pathogen eradication achieved in 79% of infections.
- Low incidence of adverse effects (3% gastrointestinal, 8% laboratory abnormalities); good renal tolerance with no nephrotoxicity.
Conclusions:
- Imipenem/cilastatin is effective and well-tolerated for treating a range of bacterial infections.
- Recommended susceptibility breakpoint of ≤8 µg/ml for bacterial strains.
- The antibiotic combination demonstrates a favorable safety profile, particularly regarding renal function.
