Piperacillin versus clindamycin plus gentamicin for pelvic infections

Obstet Gynecol. 1984 Dec;64(6):762-6.

Abstract

Piperacillin, a new semisynthetic penicillin, has broad spectrum activity against most clinically important aerobic and anaerobic bacteria. In the present study, piperacillin was compared with a combination of clindamycin and gentamicin for the treatment of 83 women with pelvic infection (42 with endometritis, 29 with posthysterectomy cuff infections, 11 with acute salpingitis, and one with a wound infection). There were 179 bacterial isolates, 98 (53%) aerobic and 81 (45%) anaerobic. Of the 42 patients treated with piperacillin, there were three (7.1%) clinical failures compared with one (2.4%) in the 41 patients treated with clindamycin-gentamicin. A single drug, piperacillin, was shown to be as safe and effective as the combined clindamycin plus gentamicin therapy for pelvic infections.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Cesarean Section
  • Clindamycin / administration & dosage*
  • Clindamycin / therapeutic use
  • Drug Therapy, Combination
  • Endometritis / drug therapy*
  • Endometritis / microbiology
  • Female
  • Gentamicins / administration & dosage*
  • Gentamicins / therapeutic use
  • Humans
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests
  • Pelvic Inflammatory Disease / drug therapy*
  • Pelvic Inflammatory Disease / microbiology
  • Pregnancy
  • Puerperal Infection / drug therapy*
  • Puerperal Infection / microbiology
  • Surgical Wound Infection / drug therapy
  • Surgical Wound Infection / microbiology

Substances

  • Gentamicins
  • Clindamycin