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Review of 152 patients with bacteremias treated with amikacin
Abstract:
The efficacy of amikacin treatment of 152 patients with bacteremia was reviewed from case reports submitted by 53 investigators. Eighty-one per cent of these patients had a favorable outcome; 73% were cured and 8% partially cured. Analysis of the 29 treatment failures revealed that the majority (21) were in patients with either pneumonia, leukemia or mixed aerobic-anaerobic infections. Forty-five patients were infected with gentamicin-resistant organisms; 66% of these patients were cured following amikacin therapy, and 14% had a partial cure. These results indicate that amikacin is effective in the therapy of gram-negative bacteremia, even in seriously ill patients with gentamicin-resistant pathogens.
Insights
Amikacin effectively treats bacteremia, achieving a favorable outcome in 81% of patients, including those with gentamicin-resistant infections. This aminoglycoside antibiotic demonstrates significant efficacy even in critically ill individuals.
Area of Science:
- Infectious Diseases
- Pharmacology
- Clinical Medicine
Background:
- Bacteremia, a serious bloodstream infection, requires effective antimicrobial therapy.
- Gram-negative bacterial infections pose a significant therapeutic challenge, particularly with rising antimicrobial resistance.
- Aminoglycosides like amikacin are crucial for treating severe bacterial infections.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the clinical efficacy of amikacin in patients diagnosed with bacteremia.
- To assess amikacin's effectiveness against gentamicin-resistant gram-negative pathogens.
- To identify factors associated with treatment failure in amikacin therapy for bacteremia.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective review of 152 patient case reports treated with amikacin for bacteremia.
- Data collected from 53 contributing investigators.
- Analysis of treatment outcomes, including cure rates, partial cures, and treatment failures, stratified by pathogen resistance and patient comorbidities.
Main Results:
- Overall favorable outcome in 81% of patients (73% cured, 8% partially cured).
- Effective treatment (66% cured, 14% partially cured) observed in 45 patients with gentamicin-resistant organisms.
- Treatment failures were more common in patients with pneumonia, leukemia, or mixed aerobic-anaerobic infections.
Conclusions:
- Amikacin is a highly effective antibiotic for treating gram-negative bacteremia.
- The drug demonstrates significant efficacy against gentamicin-resistant pathogens.
- Amikacin can be a valuable therapeutic option for seriously ill patients with bacteremia, even those with resistant infections.