Ticarcillin therapy of infections

Area of Science:

• Infectious Diseases
• Oncology
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Cancer patients often experience severe infections due to compromised immune systems.
• Ticarcillin, a penicillin-class antibiotic, has been used to treat bacterial infections.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy and safety of ticarcillin as an initial therapy for infections in adult cancer patients.
• To assess treatment response across different bacterial pathogens and patient conditions.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 73 infection episodes in 69 adult cancer patients treated with ticarcillin.
• Two dosing regimens were used: 5 gm IV every 6 h initially, then 3.5 g IV every 4 h.
• Treatment outcomes were assessed, including response rates, pathogen identification, and adverse events.

Main Results:

• Initial therapy with 5 gm doses showed a response in 4 of 6 infections.
• Subsequent therapy with 3.5 g doses yielded a 43% overall response rate in 67 infections.
• Ticarcillin was effective against Pseudomonas, Proteus, and H. influenzae but ineffective against E. coli and Klebsiella.
• No correlation was found between response rates and neutrophil counts; superinfections and skin rash were observed.

Conclusions:

• Ticarcillin demonstrated variable efficacy in treating infections in neutropenic cancer patients.
• The drug was particularly ineffective against E. coli and Klebsiella, even when in vitro sensitivity was noted.
• Ticarcillin was generally well-tolerated with no significant liver or renal toxicity.