Abstract
An open randomized comparative study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of Cefepime (2 gm iv. 8 hr.) vs. ceftazidime (2 gm iv. every 8 hr.) in empirical therapy of febrile neutropenic patients. A total of 40 eligible febrile episodes were randomized to be treated with study regimen. Twenty febrile episodes were treated with cefepime and 20 were treated with ceftazidime. The two groups were comparable in terms of age, sex, height, underlying neoplasm, number of pretherapy neutrophils, duration of neutropenia. The overall therapeutic success rate of cetepime group (60%) was comparable to that of ceftazidime group (55%). The results of this study suggest that cefepime is an effective and safe agent in empirical therapy of febrile episode in neutropenic patient and its efficacy is comparable with that of ceftazidime.
Full Text
The Full Text of this article is available as a PDF (50.7 KB).
References
- 1.Bergumans T., Scolier S.P. Myelosuppression and infective complications. In: Souhami R.L., Tannok I., Hohznberger P., Horiot S.C., editors. Oxford Textbook of oncology. 2. New York: Oxford University Press Inc.; 2002. pp. 575–89. [Google Scholar]
- 2.Finberg R. Infections in patients with cancer. In: Kasper D.L., Braunwald E., Fauci A.S., Hauser S.L., Longo D.L., Jameson J.L., editors. Harrison’s Principles of Internal Medicine. Vol.1. 16. New York: McGraw Hill; 2005. pp. 489–496. [Google Scholar]
- 3.Wang F., Liu C. Y., Hsu H. C., Gau I. P., Chan W. K., Haung M. L. A comparative study of Cefepime versus Ceftezadime as empirical therapy in febrile neutropenic patients. Chemotherapy. 1999;45:370–379. doi: 10.1159/000007228. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- 4.Jandula B., Martino R., Gurgi M., Manteiga R., Sierra J. Treatment of febrile neutropenia with cefepime monotherapy. Chemotherapy. 2001;47:226–231. doi: 10.1159/000063226. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- 5.Kebudi R., Gorgun O., Ayan I., Gurler N., Akici F., Toreci K. Randomized comparison of cefepime versus Ceftezadime monotherapy for fever and neutropenia in children with solid tumours. Med Pediatr Oncol. 2001;36(4):434–441. doi: 10.1002/mpo.1107. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- 6.Cordonniek C., Herbrecht R., Pico J.L. Cefepime / Amikacin versus Ceftazidime / Amikacin as empirical therapy for febrile episodes in neutropenic patients. A comparative study. The French Cefepime Study Group. Gun lnf Dis. 1997;24:41–51. doi: 10.1093/clinids/24.1.41. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- 7.Chandrasekhar PH, Arrow PM Cefepime versus Ceftezadime as empirical therapy for fever in neutropenic patients with cancer. Annals of Pharmacotherapy 34(9):989–995 [DOI] [PubMed]
- 8.Motalar J., Segura A., Bosch C., Galan A., Juano, Molins C., et al. Cefepime monotherapy as an empirical initial treatment of patients with febrile neutropenia. Med Oncol. 2002;19(3):161–166. doi: 10.1385/MO:19:3:161. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]