[Cefoperazone/sulbactam in continuous infusion].

Background: The highest percentage of patients treated in ITU is diagnosed with infections, including nosocomial infections. Proper and early instituted antibiotic therapy decreases the mortality rates, duration of ITU stay and treatment-related costs. The therapy should be based on antibiotic susceptibility of cultured pathogens and the pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic profile of drugs used.

Method: The efficacy of antibacterial therapy with cefoperazone/sulbactam was retrospectively assessed by ITU patients assigned to four groups: I--out-of-hospital pneumonia, II--severe sepsis/septic shock, III--COPD and IV--others. Immediately after admission the bronchial tree secretion and blood were collected for microbiological diagnosis; the initial dose of antibiotic 2 g was started and continued with 4 g in the 24-hour infusion.

Results: The analysis involved medical records of 80 out of 560 patients; 71.25% had cefoperazone/ sulbactam-susceptible pathogens. The level of C-reactive proteins decreased in 78% of group I and II patients, in 67%--group III and in 46% of group IV. Mortality in the entire group of 80 patients was 26.2% compared to 51.4% in the total population treated in ITU.

Conclusion: Continuous infusion of cefoperazone/sulbactam applied to selected ITU patients can effectively treat different types of in- and out-of-hospital infections.