Outpatient antibiotic therapy for elderly patients. HIAT Study Group

The purpose of this study was to determine the safety and efficacy of outpatient intravenous (IV) therapy with a third-generation cephalosporin, cefotaxime, in patients > or = 60 years of age and to determine its effect on length of hospital stay. Subset analysis was performed with 62 patients with various infections who had been enrolled in a prospective, multicenter, open-label trial of IV cefotaxime delivered through a computerized ambulatory delivery system (ADS). Initial treatment was given in hospital if required, followed by home therapy. The overall clinical response rate among evaluable patients was 98%, and the overall bacteriologic response rate was 93%. The mean duration of inpatient therapy was 3.6 days less than the mean of 8.2 days allowed under diagnosis-related group (DRG) allotments. Outpatient therapy with cefotaxime via infusion pump is safe and effective and may reduce hospitalization requirements.