Comparative clinical efficacy and safety of netilmicin and tobramycin in children with serious gram-negative infections.

Thirty children with serious gram-negative infections were treated with either netilmicin, 2 mg/kg, or tobramycin, 1 mg/kg, every eight hours for a minimum of 72 hours. Because of the administration of different doses, a "blind" investigator evaluated treatment response while another investigator adjusted the doses on the basis of each patient's drug serum levels and bacteriological response. Comparisons between the two study groups showed both treatments to be equally effective. All 15 patients treated with netilmicin and 14 of the 15 patients treated with tobramycin experienced complete resolution of clinical signs and symptoms and elimination of pathogens. One child in the tobramycin group was considered a treatment failure because of a persistent urinary tract infection. There were no adverse effects attributable to either drug.