Complicated urinary tract infections treated with ceftazidime and tobramycin: a comparative study

In an open, prospective, randomized study, 51 males with complicated urinary tract infections were treated intramuscularly with 0.5 g of ceftazidime every 12 h or 1 mg/kg of tobramycin every 8 h for 7 to 10 days. Both groups of patients were comparable in age, weight, underlying disorders of the urinary tract, and infecting pathogens. Cure was defined as sterile urine seven to 10 days after treatment. The cure rate was 73% in the ceftazidime group (22 patients) and 62% in the tobramycin group (21 patients). There was no statistically significant difference between these cure rates and both drugs were well tolerated. We conclude that ceftazidime and tobramycin are equally safe and efficient in the treatment of complicated urinary tract infections.