PROSPECTIVE RANDOMIZED STUDY OF PIPERACILLIN TAZOBACTAM THERAPY OF SURGICALLY TREATED INTRAABDOMINAL INFECTION

A randomized prospective trial was undertaken in adult patients with s erious intra-abdominal infections to determine whether a new combinati on of antibiotic therapy could prove as efficacious as the combination that has been widely used in practice in the recent decade (clindamyc in and gentamicin). Three hundred thirty-one patients were randomized in a 2:1 ratio, with the larger number of patients being treated paren terally with piperacillin and tazobactam. The results showed that both the clinical and microbiologic performance of the piperacillin/tazoba ctam combination was better than that of clindamycin and gentamicin. T his clinical equivalence permits overall cost savings without compromi sing the existing quality of antimicrobial therapy for intra-abdominal infection.