13 Jun 2024 • Continuous β-lactam antibiotic infusions did not significantly lower 90-day mortality in critically ill patients with sepsis compared to intermittent infusion, according to a recent study.

• A randomized clinical trial was conducted to determine if continuous or intermittent infusions of β-lactam antibiotics reduced all-cause mortality in sepsis patients.

• The trial involved 7031 critically ill adults in 104 intensive care units across several countries. Participants received the equivalent of a 24-hour dose of piperacillin-tazobactam or meropenem either as a continuous infusion (n = 3498) or an intermittent infusion (n = 3533). The primary outcome was all-cause mortality within 90 days. Secondary outcomes included clinical cure, infections, and ICU mortality. 

• The continuous infusion group had a slightly lower mortality rate (24.9% vs. 26.8%), but the difference was not statistically significant (odds ratio = 0.91). The clinical cure was slightly higher in the continuous group (55.7% vs. 50%).

• There was no statistically significant difference in mortality rates between sepsis patients treated with continuous and intermittent infusions of β-lactam antibiotics. The confidence interval suggests that continuous infusions could have both no effect and some clinical benefit.

Source:JAMA| Read full story