Evaluation of meropenem in 36 patients with severe pneumonia

Objective To evaluate clinical efficacy and safety of meropenem in treating patients with severe pneumonia.Methods Thirty-six patients with severe pneumonia were given meropenem 0.5 or 1 g,q8h intravenously for (10.5±3.5) days.Body temperature change was observed.Serum high-sensitivity C-reactive protein,blood routine test,alanine aminotransferase (ALT),aspartate aminotransferase (AST),blood urea nitrogen (BUN),creatinine (Cr),arterial blood oxygen pressure (PaO2) and oxygenation index (PaO2/FiO2) were compared before and after treatment.Sputum culture and chest CT were reviewed.Adverse reaction of meropenem was evaluated.Results In the 31 surviving patients with severe pneumonia,body temperature decreased significantly to normal within average (3.2±1.3) days.Serum high-sensitivity C-reactive protein level decreased significantly from (70.3±15.2) mg/L to (6.7 ±2.5) mg/L after treatment.Peripheral white blood cell count reduced significantly from (15.8±4.7)×109/L to (7.4±2.1) ×109/L after treatment.PaO2 increased significantly from (46.2±11.9) mmHg to (81.5±15.5) mmHg after treatment.PaO2/FiO2 increased significantly from 230.1±35.5 to 391.6±46.7.All the above comparisons showed statistical significance (P0.01).No significant difference was observed on ALT,AST,BUN and Cr (P0.05).Sputum pathogen clearance was 92.6%.The pulmonary inflammatory lesions on chest CT subsided apparently after treatment.No adverse reaction was observed in the 31 survivors of severe pneumonia.Conclusions Meropenem shows good therapeutic effect in patients with severe pneumonia.