Low-dose continuous-infusion ceftazidime monotherapy in low-risk febrile neutropenic patients

One hundred and thirty-five cancer patients admitted with low-risk neutrope nic fever received a low-dose schedule of ceftazidime as infusional monothe rapy over a total of 180 episodes. Ceftazidime was administered as a 1-g bo lus followed by a continuous infusion of 2 g per day. In this patient popul ation the ceftazidime was both practical and well tolerated. Sixty-eight pe rcent of patients responded with clinical improvement and complete resoluti on of fever within 48 h. Overall, 95% of patients responded, although 18% s ubsequently required antibiotic modification for persistent fever. Only 5% of episodes were considered failures due to clinical deterioration, and ove r the study period there was only 1 fatality due to respiratory failure. Th e median duration of hospitalisation was only 4 days (2-20). In conclusion, monotherapy with low-dose infusional ceftazidime appears safe and highly e ffective in this low-risk population of neutropenic patients and may reduce antibiotic costs appreciably.