A randomized controlled clinical study of aztraonam in treatment of 60 elderly patients with low respiratory tract bacterial infections

AIM: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of aztraonam in the treatment of elderly patients with low respiratory tract bacterial infections. METHODS: One hundred and twenty-one elderly patients with lower respiratory tract infections were randomly divided into 2 groups including 60 patients in aztraonam group and 61 patients in ceftazidime group. The aztraonam group was treated with aztraonam 2.0 g in sodium chloride injection 100 mL, iv, gtt, q 12 h for 7-14 d, the ceftazidime group was treated with ceftazidime 2.0 g in sodium chloride injection 100 mL. iv, gtt, q 12 h for 7-14 d. RESULTS: The total efficacy rate was 83 % in the aztraonam group and 80 % in the ceftazidime group, whereas the cured rate was 58 % and 54 %, respectively. The bacterial clearance rate was 85 % and 82 %, respectively. The adverse reaction rate was 2 % and 3 %, respectively, and laboratory abnormality rate was 3 % and 3 %, respectively. The differences between two groups were not statistical significant (P0.05). CONCLUSION: Aztraonam is a highly effective and safe agent for the treatment of elderly patients with lower respiratory tract bacterial infections.