Therapeutic effectiveness of aztreonam on severe infections associated with hematologic disorders. Hanshin Infection Study Group]

One hundred and nine patients with infection accompanying hematologic disorders including leukemia and lymphoma were treated with aztreonam (AZT). Of the 90 patients in whom the efficacy could be evaluated, 17 (18.9%) responded markedly and 29 (32.2%) moderately, the effective rate being 51.1%. The efficacy rate classified according to infections was 25% in septicemia, 46.3% in suspected septicemia, 57.1% in pneumonia and 100% in urinary tract infection. The efficacy rate to the Gram-negative bacteria was 78.9% and to the Gram-positive bacteria was 20.0%. In 4 (66.7%) out of 6 patients in whom P. aeruginosa was the causative organism, AZT was effective. The efficacy rate was 52.2% in the 23 patients whose causative organisms were identified and 50.7% in 67 patients whose causative organisms were not identified. There was no significant difference in the efficacy rate between the patients who failed to respond to prior antibiotic therapy (53.6%) and those treated with AZT from the beginning. The initial neutrophil count did not affect the efficacy rate. Side effects which might have been caused by AZT were eruption and fever in 4 patients. Hepatic disorders and eosinophilia were observed in 7 patients. However, the relationship between AZT and these abnormal findings was not established. These results indicate that AZT is an effective and safe antibiotic for the treatment of infections accompanying hematologic disorders.