Meropenem monotherapy for the treatment of hospital-acquired pneumonia: results of a multicenter trial.

Abstract

The efficacy and tolerability of meropenem as empirical treatment in patients with hospital-acquired pneumonia was determined in a prospective, open-label, non-randomized trial. Patients from 28 centers in the USA received meropenem 1 g every 8 h intravenously. Of 255 patients enrolled, 111 were evaluable for efficacy, including 60 patients with ventilator-associated pneumonia. At end of treatment 74% of patients had a satisfactory clinical response and 64% had this response at follow-up, which could last up to 28 days after treatment. In patients with ventilator-associated pneumonia, a satisfactory clinical response was observed in 68% at the end of treatment and 63% at follow-up. The overall satisfactory response rate for individual pretreatment pathogens ranged from 65% to 100%. This study demonstrates that meropenem monotherapy is effective and well tolerated for patients with hospital-acquired pneumonia, including a subgroup of patients with ventilator-associated pneumonia.

• Authors: S J Berman, C M Fogarty, T Fabian, D Melnick, W Lesky, Merrem Hospital-Acquired Pneumonia Study Group
• Journal: Journal of chemotherapy (Florence, Italy) (J Chemother) Vol. 16 Issue 4 Pg. 362-71 (Aug 2004) ISSN: 1120-009X [Print] England
• PMID: 15332712 (Publication Type: Clinical Trial, Comparative Study, Journal Article, Multicenter Study, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Thienamycins
• Meropenem

Topics

• Adolescent
• Adult
• Aged
• Cross Infection (drug therapy, microbiology)
• Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
• Drug Administration Schedule
• Female
• Follow-Up Studies
• Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections (diagnosis, drug therapy)
• Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections (diagnosis, drug therapy)
• Humans
• Infusions, Intravenous
• Male
• Meropenem
• Middle Aged
• Pneumonia, Bacterial (drug therapy, microbiology)
• Probability
• Prospective Studies
• Respiration, Artificial (adverse effects)
• Risk Assessment
• Thienamycins (administration & dosage)
• Treatment Outcome