Limited evidence suggests that the method of antibiotic administration (oral versus parenteral) does not affect the rate of disease remission if the bacteria are sensitive to the antibiotic used. However, this and the lack of statistically significant differences in adverse effects need confirmation. No or insufficient evidence exists for other aspects of antibiotic therapy for chronic osteomyelitis.
Randomized evaluation of ceftazidime or ticarcillin and tobramycin for the treatment of osteomyelitis caused by gram-negative bacilli.
Ceftazidime, a new cephalosporin with enhanced activity against aerobic gram-negative bacilli, was compared with tobramycin and ticarcillin in a randomized clinical trial. Efficacy and safety were evaluated in 18 patients (17 males, 1 female) with gram-negative osteomyelitis. All organisms were susceptible to the treatment antibiotics(s). There were nine patients treated with tobramycin and ticarcillin for 27 to 62 days (mean, 42 days), and nine patients were treated with 4 g of ceftazidime per day for 26 to 63 days (mean, 45 days). All nine patients receiving tobramycin and ticarcillin had the osteomyelitis arrested after the initial treatment. Follow-up was for 2 to 38 months (mean, 22 months). Of nine patients receiving ceftazidime three were initial treatment failures. Follow-up was for 13 to 31 months (mean, 21 months). A patient receiving ceftazidime had a transient rise in serum glutamic oxalacetic transaminase and serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase. There were three treatment failures in the ceftazidime group; no failures occurred in the group receiving the combination of ticarcillin and tobramycin. A larger series would be required to detect a significant difference between the two treatment groups.