Empiric treatment of serious infections in patients with cancer: randomised comparison of two combinations.

Infection is the immediate cause of death in many patients with cancer. Traditionally, combinations of modern beta-lactam antibiotics and aminoglycosides are empirically used in the treatment of patients with neutropenia and presumed infection. However, the new quinolones appear to have become potent combination partners for beta-lactams. Eighty-seven patients with presumed serious infection were blindly randomised to receive either 2 g cefotaxime i.v. plus 200 mg ofloxacin twice daily (group 1) or 2 g cefotaxime i.v. twice daily plus tobramycin i.v. three times daily with dosage adjustment according to renal function and body weight (group 2). The response rate was significantly higher in group 1 (71%) compared to group 2 (47%). The cefotaxime/ofloxacin combination proved to be safe and represented a considerable reduction of workload on the nursing staff.

RCT Entities:   Population Interventions Outcomes