Marilyn O. Robbie

Treatment of hospitalized patients with acute pelvic inflammatory disease: Comparison of cefotetan plus doxycycline and cefoxitin plus doxycycline

Acute pelvic inflammatory disease remains the major medical and economic consequence of sexually transmitted diseases among young women. The polymicrobial origins of pelvic inflammatory disease have been well documented and the major organisms recovered from the upper genital tract in patients with pelvic inflammatory disease include Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, and mixed anaerobic and aerobic bacteria. This study was undertaken to compare the efficacy and safety of cefotetan plus doxycycline with that of cefoxitin plus doxycycline in the treatment of hospitalized patients with acute pelvic inflammatory disease. A total of 68 hospitalized patients with acute pelvic inflammatory disease were entered and randomized into two treatment groups: cefotetan (n = 32) and cefoxitin (n = 36). There were six tuboovarian abscesses in each group. C. trachomatis was recovered from 7 (10%) and N. gonorrhoeae from 48 (71%) of the patients. Anaerobic and aerobic bacteria were recovered from the upper genital tract in 53 (78%) of the patients. Cefotetan plus doxycycline and cefoxitin plus doxycycline demonstrated high rates of initial clinical response in the treatment of acute pelvic inflammatory disease. Clinical cure was noted in 30 (94%) of the cefotetan plus doxycycline group and 33 (92%) of the cefoxitin plus doxycycline group. Four failures were sonographically diagnosed tuboovarian abscesses that responded to clindamycin plus gentamicin therapy. The fifth failure was an uncomplicated case that did not respond to cefoxitin and doxycycline and required additional therapy. At 1 week and 3 weeks, respectively, the posttreatment cultures demonstrated eradication, in all instances, of N. gonorrhoeae and C. trachomatis. These regimens also were very effective in eradicating anaerobic and aerobic pathogens from the endometrial cavity. Both regimens were well tolerated by the patients, and few adverse drug affects were noted.

Ampicillin/sulbactam versus metronidazole-gentamicin in the treatment of soft tissue pelvic infections

The clinical efficacy and safety of ampicillin/sulbactam versus metronidazole-gentamicin were evaluated in a comparative, randomized, prospective study. Forty-four patients were enrolled: 22 received the ampicillin/sulbactam regimen, and 22 received the metronidazole-gentamicin combination. There were 33 cases of severe acute pelvic inflammatory disease, two tuboovarian abscesses, five cases of endomyometritis, and two cases of posthysterectomy pelvic cellulitis. Aerobic and anaerobic cultures from the infection sites yielded 447 microorganisms from 44 patients (an average of 10 bacteria per infection; 6.4 anaerobes and 3.7 aerobes). The most frequent isolates were Bacteroides sp., 54; Bacteroides bivius, 17; black-pigmented Bacteroides, 12; Bacteroides disiens, 11; Fusobacterium, 13; Peptostreptococcus anaerobius, 24; Peptostreptococcus asaccharolyticus, 21; anaerobic gram-positive cocci, 34; Gardnerella vaginalis, 29; Neisseria gonorrhoeae, 17; alpha-hemolytic streptococci, 15; and Escherichia coli, five. Clinical cure was noted in 19 of 20 patients treated with ampicillin/sulbactam and 18 of 21 patients treated with metronidazole-gentamicin. One treatment failure occurred in the ampicillin/sulbactam group in a patient who required antichlamydial therapy and had a complex left adnexal mass consistent with an abscess. The cases of metronidazole-gentamicin failure included two patients initially diagnosed as having tuboovarian abscesses who required a change in antibiotic therapy to control the infections. The third patient had postabortion endomyometritis that did not respond to metronidazole-gentamicin therapy within 48 hours, and required a change of medication. No adverse hematologic, renal, or hepatic effects were noted in either group of patients.

Comparative study of piperacillin versus cefoxitin in the treatment of obstetric and gynecologic infections.

Piperacillin sodium (Pipracil, Lederle Laboratories, Wayne, New Jersey), a new semisynthetic penicillin, demonstrated in vitro activity against a broad spectrum of clinical pathogens. It is active against most strains of the clinically important gram-negative aerobic or facultative bacteria and against virtually all the clinically important anaerobic organisms, including Bacteroides fragilis and Bacteroides bivius. This broad antibacterial spectrum suggested that piperacillin might be an effective single antimicrobial agent for the treatment of mixed aerobic/anaerobic infections in obstetric and gynecologic patients. In this study, the clinical efficacy and safety of piperacillin was compared with that of cefoxitin in the management of pelvic infections. There were 23 patients in the piperacillin group (acute salpingitis, 12; endomyometritis, 7; pelvic cellulitis, 2; tuboovarian abscess, 2) and 25 patients in the cefoxitin group (acute salpingitis, 13; endomyometritis, 10; tuboovarian abscess, 2). An average of six bacteria were isolated from each patient. Aerobic bacteria only were recovered from 12.5%, anaerobic bacteria only in 6.5%, and both aerobic and anaerobic bacteria were present in 82.5% of patients. Overall, 21 of 23 (91%) of the piperacillin treatment group and 23 of 25 (92%) of the cefoxitin group responded to therapy with antimicrobial agents alone. The major cause of failure was the presence of an abscess. Piperacillin was shown to be an effective single agent for the management of pelvic infections caused by mixed aerobic and anaerobic bacteria. In addition, piperacillin proved to be safe and well tolerated.

Metronidazole use in obstetrics and gynecology: A review

Abstract Since metronidazoles introduction in 1960 as an effective antitrichomonal agent, its use has extended to the treatment of amebiasis, giardiasis, nonspecific vaginitis, and anaerobic infections, including upper genital tract infections. It is also being explored as a prophylactic agent in numerous surgical procedures. Recent introduction of an intravenous form has further facilitated its expanded use. This review examines the mode of action and pharmacokinetics of metronidazole and discusses evidence concerning the question of mutagenicity and carcinogenicity. Current uses of metronidazole are discussed, with the potential problem of bacterial inactivation/resistance explored. Finally, recommendations are made for the use of metronidazole in obstetrics and gynecology, with an emphasis on caution with respect to potential problems, which remain unanswered.

Moxalactam versus clindamycin plus tobramycin in the treatment of obstetric and gynecologic infections

The clinical efficacy of moxalactam versus clindamycin/tobramycin was evaluated in a comparative, randomized, prospective study. Sixty patients were treated: 30 with moxalactam and 30 with clindamycin/tobramycin. There were 15 cases of tuboovarian abscess, 36 cases of severe pelvic inflammatory disease with peritonitis, eight cases of endomyometritis, and one wound abscess. Aerobic and anaerobic cultures from the sites of infection yielded 441 microorganisms from 53 patients; an average of 8.3 bacteria per infection (4.5 anaerobes and 3.8 aerobes). The infections tended to be mixed aerobic-anaerobic with anaerobes isolated in 90% of cases. The most frequently isolated possible pathogens were Bacteroides sp. (37), Bacteroides bivius (23), Bacteroides asaccharolyticus (12), Peptococcus asaccharolyticus (29), Peptostreptococcus anaerobius (19), unidentified anaerobic gram-positive cocci (18), Escherichia coli (17), nonhemolytic streptococci (16), Neisseria gonorrhoeae (13), and Gardnerella vaginalis (38). Clinical cure was noted in 29 of 30 moxalactam-treated and 29 of 30 clindamycin/tobramycin-treated patients. Moxalactam was effective in five of six cases of tuboovarian abscess, all 22 cases of pelvic inflammatory disease with peritonitis, the one case of endomyometritis and the one wound abscess. Clindamycin/tobramycin was effective in eight of nine cases of tuboovarian abscess, all 14 cases of pelvic inflammatory disease with peritonitis, and all seven cases of endomyometritis. No adverse hematologic, renal, or hepatic effects were noted with either regimen.