Abstract
Hospital-acquired infections still represent a serious threat to the surgical patient. A nationwide survey of 259 Italian surgical wards involving 11,343 patients was conducted in October 1988. Hospital-acquired infections were recorded in 565 (5%) patients: the microorganisms most commonly involved were gram-negative rods (60% of all isolates), 41% of the infected patients presented one or more intrinsic predisposing factor, and 65% had undergone some invasive procedure. The studied group represented 23% of all surgical patients in the country on the days of the survey. Following the epidemiologic survey, an open multicenter study was conducted in the same wards to evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of cefotaxime (1 g, 2 or 3 times per day) in the treatment of nosocomial surgical infections. Among 3,032 evaluable patients, 1,295 intra-abdominal, 610 wound and soft tissue, 554 urinary, and 367 respiratory infections were observed. Treatment was judged to be clinically effective in 94% of patients, and side effects, mostly involving the gastrointestinal tract, were observed in 1.4% of patients; but interruption of the treatment was required only in 19 patients (0.6%). This study confirms that cefotaxime, after over a decade of use, retains high efficacy in the treatment for nosocomial infections and induces a low rate of side effects.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Journal | American Journal of Surgery |
| Volume | 164 |
| Issue number | 4 SUPPL. |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 1992 |
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ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Surgery
Cite this
Infections in the surgical setting : Epidemiology and effect of treatment with cefotaxime in a multicenter trial including 3,032 patients. / Privitera, Gaetano; Auxilia, Francesco; Ortisi, Giuseppe; Matinato, Caterina; Castaldi, Silvana; Pagano, Antonio.
In: American Journal of Surgery, Vol. 164, No. 4 SUPPL., 1992.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Infections in the surgical setting
T2 - Epidemiology and effect of treatment with cefotaxime in a multicenter trial including 3,032 patients
AU - Privitera, Gaetano
AU - Auxilia, Francesco
AU - Ortisi, Giuseppe
AU - Matinato, Caterina
AU - Castaldi, Silvana
AU - Pagano, Antonio
PY - 1992
Y1 - 1992
N2 - Hospital-acquired infections still represent a serious threat to the surgical patient. A nationwide survey of 259 Italian surgical wards involving 11,343 patients was conducted in October 1988. Hospital-acquired infections were recorded in 565 (5%) patients: the microorganisms most commonly involved were gram-negative rods (60% of all isolates), 41% of the infected patients presented one or more intrinsic predisposing factor, and 65% had undergone some invasive procedure. The studied group represented 23% of all surgical patients in the country on the days of the survey. Following the epidemiologic survey, an open multicenter study was conducted in the same wards to evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of cefotaxime (1 g, 2 or 3 times per day) in the treatment of nosocomial surgical infections. Among 3,032 evaluable patients, 1,295 intra-abdominal, 610 wound and soft tissue, 554 urinary, and 367 respiratory infections were observed. Treatment was judged to be clinically effective in 94% of patients, and side effects, mostly involving the gastrointestinal tract, were observed in 1.4% of patients; but interruption of the treatment was required only in 19 patients (0.6%). This study confirms that cefotaxime, after over a decade of use, retains high efficacy in the treatment for nosocomial infections and induces a low rate of side effects.
AB - Hospital-acquired infections still represent a serious threat to the surgical patient. A nationwide survey of 259 Italian surgical wards involving 11,343 patients was conducted in October 1988. Hospital-acquired infections were recorded in 565 (5%) patients: the microorganisms most commonly involved were gram-negative rods (60% of all isolates), 41% of the infected patients presented one or more intrinsic predisposing factor, and 65% had undergone some invasive procedure. The studied group represented 23% of all surgical patients in the country on the days of the survey. Following the epidemiologic survey, an open multicenter study was conducted in the same wards to evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of cefotaxime (1 g, 2 or 3 times per day) in the treatment of nosocomial surgical infections. Among 3,032 evaluable patients, 1,295 intra-abdominal, 610 wound and soft tissue, 554 urinary, and 367 respiratory infections were observed. Treatment was judged to be clinically effective in 94% of patients, and side effects, mostly involving the gastrointestinal tract, were observed in 1.4% of patients; but interruption of the treatment was required only in 19 patients (0.6%). This study confirms that cefotaxime, after over a decade of use, retains high efficacy in the treatment for nosocomial infections and induces a low rate of side effects.
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UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0026941457&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/S0002-9610(06)80050-4
DO - 10.1016/S0002-9610(06)80050-4
M3 - Article
C2 - 1443361
AN - SCOPUS:0026941457
VL - 164
JO - American Journal of Surgery
JF - American Journal of Surgery
SN - 0002-9610
IS - 4 SUPPL.
ER -