Antimicrobial Therapy Against Sepsis Caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa: Two Punches or One?

Adequate empirical combination therapy was linked to lower mortality than monotherapy in patients with P. aeruginosa–associated septic shock.

Recent guidelines for managing septic shock when Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a known or suspected pathogen have recommended empirical combination therapy with at least two anti-pseudomonal antibiotics of different classes; however, supporting evidence is sparse. Now, in a retrospective cohort study encompassing 14 hospitals in Italy, Vena et al. compared outcomes of P. aeruginosa septic shock in patients who had received adequate empirical combination therapy (AECT; 24 patients) or monotherapy (AEMT; 74 patients). The AECT group was significantly younger (median age, 60 vs. 70), had lower Charlson comorbidity scores (2 and 4), and were more likely to have multidrug-resistant P. aeruginosa than the AEMT group.

Thirty-day all-cause mortality was…

Reviewing Author

George Sakoulas, MD

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardParatek Pharmaceuticals; Nestle Corp.; AbbVie; Shionogi

Speaker’s BureauAllergan/AbbVie; Paratek Pharmaceuticals; Nestle Corp.

RoyaltiesUpToDate

Editorial BoardsAntimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy; Open Forum Infectious Diseases