D. Schuler et al., SAFETY AND EFFICACY OF MEROPENEM IN HOSPITALIZED CHILDREN - RANDOMIZED COMPARISON WITH CEFOTAXIME, ALONE AND COMBINED WITH METRONIDAZOLE ORAMIKACIN, Journal of antimicrobial chemotherapy, 36, 1995, pp. 99-108
In this multicentre, randomised study of 170 children hospitalised wit
h bacterial infections, meropenem (10 to 20 mg/kg every 8 h) was found
to be as effective and as well tolerated as cefotaxime (100 to 150 mg
/kg/day), with or without amikacin or metronidazole. Most drug-related
adverse events were mild and self-limiting. Neither regimen was assoc
iated with seizures. The overall incidence of clinically significant l
aboratory changes was similar in the two treatment groups. Satisfactor
y clinical responses were obtained in 94/96 (98%) patients treated wit
h meropenem monotherapy and 43/46 (93%) children treated with cefotaxi
me regimens, while satisfactory bacteriological responses were obtaine
d in 25/28 (89%) and 9/10 (90%) patients, respectively. Meropenem mono
therapy appears to be a well-tolerated and effective drug for paediatr
ic infections.