SULBACTAM AMPICILLIN VERSUS CEFOXITIN IN THE TREATMENT OF GYNECOLOGICAL INFECTIONS - AN ANTIBIOTIC THERAPEUTIC STUDY (REPRINTED FROM ZAC, VOL 4, PG 123, 1986)

Seventy-six women with gynaecological infections such as endometritis, salpingitis, tube-ovarian abscess and pelvic peritonitis were treated with sulbactam/ampicillin (SBT/AMP) (50% of patients) or cefoxitin (C FN) (50% of patients) in a randomized, controlled study. The diagnosis was based on the history, clinical findings and microbiological cultu re findings. The disease was assumed to be of bacterial origin if leuk ocytosis was present with a left shift or if the causative organism wa s identified. Of the group of patients treated with SBT/AMP, 33 (87%) were cured and 4 (10.5%) showed improvement; 1 patient (2.5%) failed t o respond to treatment. The equivalent figures for the CFN group were: 30 patients (79%) cured, 4 (10.5%) showed improvement and 4 (10.5%) f ailed to respond to treatment. The causative organism was eradicated i n 29 (91%) patients in the SBT/AMP group and 20 (59%) patients in the CFN group. Reinfection occurred in 1 (3%) patient in the SBT/AMP group and 4 (12%) patients in the CFN group. The causative organism persist ed in 1 (38) patient in the SBT/AMP group and 4 (12%) patients in the CFN group. The superiority of SBT/AMP in microbiological terms was sta tistically significant, but the superiority of SBT/AMP in terms of cli nical efficacy was not. The combination of SET and AMP was efficacious and well tolerated in the treatment of gynaecological infections. Thi s combination offers the advantage of being effective against Streptoc occus faecalis and beta-lactamase producing organisms.