Continuous versus intermittent administration of piperacillin-tazobactam in intensive care unit patients with ventilator-associated pneumonia.

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND AIMS:

Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is one of the most common Intensive Care Unit (ICU)-acquired infection. The aim of this study was to compare the clinical outcome of continuous and intermittent administration of piperacillin-tazobactam by serial measurements of the Clinical Pulmonary Infection Score (CPIS).

SUBJECTS AND METHODS:

Groups were designed as parallel and the study was designed as quasi-experimental and conducted at a semi-closed ICU between September 2008 and May 2010. Patients received 3.375 g (piperacillin 3 g/tazobactam 0.375 g) either through intermittent infusion every 6 h for 30 min [Intermittent Infusion (II) group; n = 30] or through continuous infusion every 8 h for 4 h [Continuous Infusion (CI) group; n = 31]. CPIS was used to assess the clinical diagnosis and outcome of VAP patients.

RESULTS:

Sex, age, Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II II score on ICU admission, diagnosis and underlying disease of VAP patients were not significantly different in the CI (n = 31) and II (n = 30) groups. Duration of mechanical ventilation, length of stay, total number of antibiotics used per patient and duration of piperacillin/tazobactam treatment were similar in both groups. Mortality rates of VAP patients were similar between both groups during hospitalization.

CONCLUSION:

There was no significant difference in clinical outcomes of patients receiving piperacillin-tazobactam via CI or II when measured by serial CPIS score.

• Authors: Fanak Fahimi, Somayeh Ghafari, Hamidreza Jamaati, Shadi Baniasadi, Payam Tabarsi, Arvin Najafi, Arnavaz Akhzarmehr, Seyed Mohammad Reza Hashemian
• Journal: Indian journal of critical care medicine : peer-reviewed, official publication of Indian Society of Critical Care Medicine (Indian J Crit Care Med) Vol. 16 Issue 3 Pg. 141-7 (Jul 2012) ISSN: 1998-359X [Electronic] India
• PMID: 23188954 (Publication Type: Journal Article)