Metronidazole in the treatment of intra-abdominal sepsis

A study of antibiotic treatment of intra-abdominal sepsis was conducted between May 1978 and May 1981. In the first phase, clindamycin (C) was compared with metronidazole (M), each combined with tobramycin (T), in a prospective, double-blind, randomized study. Twenty-three patients received C + T and 34 patients received M + T. The two groups were similar with respect to age, gender, underlying disease, presence of abscess, clinical condition, severity of illness, duration of illness before treatment and bacteriology. Anaerobic organisms outnumbered facultative and aerobic organisms. Bacteroides fragilis and Escherichia coli predominated. In the C + T group of patients, 74% had a good response. In the M + T group, 83% had good results. Adverse effects were few and minor in the two treatment groups. Three patients on C + T and one who received M + T followed by C + T died of infections; two patients died of underlying disease. In the second, open phase of the study, M + T was used to treat 45 patients with 46 courses. Twenty patients had intra-abdominal abscesses, which represented all grades of severity of illness. Five patients received long-term corticosteroid therapy. Almost half the patients had peritonitis complicating appendicitis. Good results were obtained in 81%. One patient died of the underlying disease and one died of infection complicating severe trauma and hypovolemic shock.