Evaluation of ceftazidime in the treatment of 80 infectious episodes in compromised children.

The efficacy of ceftazidime in the treatment of infections in compromised children was evaluated in 80 such episodes occurring in 64 patients with various underlying diseases. Among the patients treated, 9 were newborns with severe neonatal distress, 21 were children with cancer and neutropenia, 8 were surgical patients, 22 had cystic fibrosis and 4 were suffering from meningitis. The following types of infections were treated: 19 bacteriologically documented and 8 possible septicemias (the latter only in newborns and neutropenic cancer patients); 2 severe upper respiratory tract infections in cancer patients; 8 soft tissue or skin infections; 1 cholangitis; 1 pneumonia; 1 osteomyelitis; 1 mediastinitis; 35 infectious exacerbations of underlying pulmonary disease in cystic fibrosis patients; and 4 meningitides. In almost all cases ceftazidime was administered intravenously in combination with an aminoglycoside. In 2 cases it was also given intrathecally or intraventricularly. Bacteriological documentation was achieved in 70 out of 80 episodes. A successful outcome was obtained in 79% of the cases with slight and statistically nonsignificant differences between groups of patients with different etiological patterns in terms of prevalence of gram-positive microorganisms. Tolerance of the treatment was uniformly good, only one patient showing a mild, transient transaminase elevation.