Table 1 Characteristics of eligible studies included in a meta-analysis of prolonged infusion versus intermittent infusion of β-lactams in hospitalized patients
Study | Country | Setting | Sample Size | Type of Infection | Mean Age (range) | Mean APACHE II Score (range) | Definition of Clinical Cure |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Angus 2000 | Thailand | Not specified | 21 | Septicemia, meliodosis | NA (27-73) | NA (3-27) | Not specified |
Bodey 1979 | USA | Non-ICU | 204 | Bacteremia, pneumonia, UTI†, neutropenic Fever | Not specified | Not specified | Disappearance of all clinical and laboratory evidence of infection at the time administration of antibiotics was discontinued |
Buck 2005 | Germany | Non-ICU | 24 | Various | 60.3 (32-88) | Not specified | Improvement of clinical and laboratory signs of infection: resolution of fever, decreased CRP, normalized leukocytes, CXR resolution |
Georges 2005 | France | ICU | 50 | Pneumonia, bacteremia | 48.0 | Not specified | Complete resolution of infectious signs without further need for antibiotics |
Hanes 2000 | USA | ICU | 32 | Pneumonia | 34.5 | 11.6 | Complete resolution of all signs/symptoms of pneumonia, or improvement in 1+ signs/symptoms of pneumonia |
Kojika 2005 | Japan | Not specified | 10 | Abdominal abscesses | 63.7 (43-85) | 12.5 (9-21) | Afebrile and normalized white blood cell count |
Lagast 1983 | Belgium | Not specified | 45 | Septicemia | Not specified | Not specified | Disappearance of all clinical and laboratory evidence of infection |
Lau 2006 | USA | ICU | 262 | Abdominal infections | 49.8 (18-95) | 7.9 (0-31) | Complete resolution of clinical signs and symptoms or improvement (reduction of majority of signs and symptoms and no new signs of infection) |
Lubasch 2003 | Germany | Not specified | 81 | COPD†† exacerbations | 65.3 | Not specified | Recurrence to situation before exacerbation |
Merchant 2008 | USA, Europe | ICU | 531 | Pneumonia | 51.5 | NA (8-29) | Microbiologic and clinical response |
Nicolau 2001 | USA | ICU | 41 | Pneumonia, bacteremia | 51.1 | 14.7 | Complete resolution of pneumonia or lack of progression of abnormalities on chest radiograph |
Rafati 2006 | Iran | ICU | 40 | Pneumonia, bacteremia, UTIs, SSI, abdominal infections | 49 | 15.3 | Change in APACHE II score, afebrile, normalization of WBC |
Roberts 2007 | Australia | ICU | 57 | Septicemia | 47.4 | 17.6 | Disappearance of all signs and symptoms related to the infection |
Van Zanten 2006 | Netherlan ds | Not specified | 93 | COPD exacerbations | 66.0 (34-76) | Not specified | Infiltrate improvement on x-ray, clinical improvement, and no need for antibiotic treatment within 48 h after cefotaxime discontinuation |