[Recommendations in the empiric anti-infective agents of intra-abdominal infection].

A significant number of patients with abdominal infection develop advanced stages of infection and mortality is still above 20%. Failure is multifactorial and is associated with an increase of bacterial resitance, inappropriate empirical treatment, a higher comorbidity of patients and poor source control of infection. These guidelines discuss each of these problems and propose measures to avoid the failure based on the best current scientific evidence. Copyright 2009 AEC. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.