PIPERACILLIN-ASTERISK IN MONOTHERAPY OR ASSOCIATED WITH AN AMINOGLYCOSIDE IN THE TREATMENT OF SEVERE INFECTIONS IN HOSPITALIZED-PATIENTS - PIPCIL(R) BELGIAN OPEN MULTICENTER CLINICAL-TRIAL

3,192 hospitalized patients with severe infections were treated with p iperacillin alone (6-16 g daily) when urological, gynaecological or ab dominal infections were diagnosed, or with a combination therapy of pi peracillin and the preferred aminoglycoside within the hospital in cas e of pulmonary infections. The susceptibility to piperacillin of all G ram-negative bacteria as well as of anaerobic microorganisms isolated ranged between 85 % and 95 %. Overall, 90 % of the patients included i n the study were considered as cured or improved. Piperacillin was wel l tolerated during this clinical trial: global tolerability was assess ed as good in 90.1 % of patients, The most common side effect was thro mbophlebitis, occurring in 7.5 % of patients. These data allow us to s uggest the use of piperacillin as a first-choice antibiotic in monothe rapy, or together with an aminoglycoside, in the treatment of severe i nfections in hospitalized patients including elderly patients and/or p atients with underlying disorders.