Course of bacterial infections in renal failure treated with ceftriaxone

The clinical efficacy of ceftriaxone (Rocephin) was studied in infections o f varying severity in 275 patients with chronic renal failure and under con ditions of hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis. Once-daily intravenous dose s of 2 g and 1 g were administered to 109 and 139 patients respectively. Th e two treat-ment strategies were equally effective in abolishing the sympto ms of infection. The mean time to defervescence was 3.32 days on ceftriaxon e 2 g and 3.33 days on 1 g. Leukocytosis resolved in 50% of cases within 4. 5 days in patients treated with 2 g and within 7.5 days on the 1 g dose (p < 0.0001). The antibiotic was most effective in infections of the urogenita l system, skin and soft tissue, in which the treatment result was deemed "g ood" or "satisfactory" in 95% of cases. The severity of renal impairment ha d no effect on antimicrobial efficacy. Treatment with ceftriaxone can preve nt life-threatening complications, is well tolerated and, judged by the cri teria of cost-effective antibiotic use, has a favorable cost-benefit ratio.