International journal of antimicrobial agents
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Int. J. Antimicrob. Agents · Mar 2015
ReviewInhaled antibiotics beyond aminoglycosides, polymyxins and aztreonam: A systematic review.
We sought to evaluate published evidence regarding clinical or microbiological outcomes related to the use of inhaled antibiotics other than aminoglycosides, polymyxins and aztreonam. A systematic search of PubMed and Scopus databases as well as bibliographies of eligible articles was performed. In total, 34 eligible studies were identified. ⋯ Inhaled vancomycin, as an adjunctive therapy, was effective in treating Gram-positive VAP, whilst inhaled levofloxacin, ciprofloxacin and an inhaled combination of fosfomycin and tobramycin were associated with improved microbiological or clinical outcomes in chronic LRTI in patients with CF or bronchiectasis. In conclusion, published evidence is heterogeneous with regard to antibiotics used, studied indications, patient populations and study designs. Therefore, although the currently available data are encouraging, no safe conclusion regarding the effectiveness and safety of the drugs in question can be reached.
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Int. J. Antimicrob. Agents · Dec 2014
Review Meta AnalysisColistin for the treatment of ventilator-associated pneumonia caused by multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) caused by multidrug-resistant (MDR) Gram-negative bacteria (GNB) has emerged as an important and intractable clinical problem. This review assessed the efficacy and safety of colistin for treatment of MDR GNB VAP. PubMed and Embase were searched for controlled studies of colistin for treatment of MDR GNB VAP. ⋯ Colistin appears as effective and safe as β-lactam antibiotics for the treatment of MDR GNB VAP. AS colistin may be a beneficial adjunct to IV colistin in the management of MDR GNB VAP. Colistin combined therapy does not appear to provide better outcomes compared with colistin monotherapy.
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Int. J. Antimicrob. Agents · Dec 2014
Review Meta AnalysisColistin for the treatment of ventilator-associated pneumonia caused by multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) caused by multidrug-resistant (MDR) Gram-negative bacteria (GNB) has emerged as an important and intractable clinical problem. This review assessed the efficacy and safety of colistin for treatment of MDR GNB VAP. PubMed and Embase were searched for controlled studies of colistin for treatment of MDR GNB VAP. ⋯ Colistin appears as effective and safe as β-lactam antibiotics for the treatment of MDR GNB VAP. AS colistin may be a beneficial adjunct to IV colistin in the management of MDR GNB VAP. Colistin combined therapy does not appear to provide better outcomes compared with colistin monotherapy.
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Int. J. Antimicrob. Agents · Aug 2014
Review Meta AnalysisEfficacy and safety of sofosbuvir-based therapy for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C in treatment-naïve and treatment-experienced patients.
Sofosbuvir, a hepatitis C virus (HCV) NS5B polymerase inhibitor, is a new direct-acting antiviral for chronic HCV infection. This systematic review and proportional meta-analysis examined the efficacy and safety of sofosbuvir-based therapy for chronic HCV infection in treatment-naïve and -experienced patients. Medline, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, EMBASE and Web of Science databases were searched. ⋯ Six treatment arms/cohorts met the criteria for analysis in treatment-naïve patients who were treated with sofosbuvir and RBV; the SVR12 was 72% (95% CI 60-81%), relapse was 27% and the SAE rate was 3%. Three treatment arms/cohorts met the criteria for analysis in treatment-experienced patients who were treated with sofosbuvir and RBV; the SVR12 was 51% (95% CI 27-75%), relapse was 46% and the SAE rate was 4%. In conclusion, sofosbuvir-based treatment is effective and safe in treating chronic HCV infection, although the SVR12 of its combination with RBV, especially in treatment-experienced patients, requires improvement.
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Int. J. Antimicrob. Agents · May 2014
Review Meta Analysis Comparative StudyProlonged infusion versus intermittent boluses of β-lactam antibiotics for treatment of acute infections: a meta-analysis.
The clinical advantages of prolonged (extended/continuous) infusion remain controversial. Previous studies and reviews have failed to show consistent clinical benefits of extending the infusion time. This meta-analysis sought to determine whether prolonged β-lactam infusions were associated with a reduction in mortality and improvement in clinical success. ⋯ Compared with intermittent boluses, use of prolonged infusion appeared to be associated with a significant reduction in mortality [pooled relative risk (RR) = 0.66, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.53-0.83] and improvement in clinical success (RR = 1.12, 95% CI 1.03-1.21). Statistically significant benefit was supported by non-randomised studies (mortality, RR = 0.57, 95% CI 0.43-0.76; clinical success, RR = 1.34, 95% CI 1.02-1.76) but not by RCTs (mortality, RR = 0.83, 95% CI 0.57-1.21; clinical success, RR = 1.05, 95% CI 0.99-1.12). The positive results from observational studies, especially in the face of increasing antibiotic resistance, serve to justify the imperative need to conduct a large-scale, well-designed, multicentre RCT involving critically ill patients infected with high minimum inhibitory concentration pathogens to clearly substantiate this benefit.