Prospective randomized comparison of pefloxacin and ampicillin plus gentamicin in the treatment of bacteriologically proven biliary tract infections

Addition of anaerobic coverage for treatment of biliary tract infections: a propensity score-matched cohort study

Objectives

To evaluate whether additional antibiotics that target anaerobes, including Bacteroides spp., are associated with improved clinical outcomes in patients with biliary tract infections (BTIs).

Methods

This was a retrospective propensity score-matched cohort of adults aged ≥18 years with BTIs, admitted to hospital between 1 April 2015 and 30 March 2021. Eligible patients treated with antibiotics that provided coverage of anaerobes were compared with those treated with comparable regimens without anaerobic coverage. The primary outcome was a composite of mortality within 30 days or relapse within 90 days of source control or completion of antibiotics. Secondary outcomes included length of stay (LOS), duration of antibiotic therapy and adverse drug reactions. ORs were calculated using a weighted generalized linear regression model with propensity-score matching.

Results

Among 398 patients included, 209 were treated without anaerobic coverage and 189 with anaerobic coverage. After propensity-score matching, there was no significant difference in primary outcome between propensity-matched patients who received additional anaerobic coverage and those who did not [adjusted OR (aOR) 1.23; 95% CI 0.69-2.22)]. Those with anti-anaerobic coverage had longer LOS (aOR 4.85; 95% CI 1.68-13.98) and longer duration of antibiotic treatment (aOR 4.14; 95% CI 2.61-6.57) than those who did not receive additional anaerobic therapy, but not more adverse drug reactions (aOR 1.01; 95% CI 0.97-1.05).

Conclusions

Omitting anti-anaerobic antibiotics may be a safe antimicrobial stewardship intervention. However, a randomized controlled trial may be warranted to definitively conclude whether additional anaerobic coverage in BTI treatment is necessary.

Antibiotics in the Biliary Tract: A Review of the Pharmacokinetics and Clinical Outcomes of Antibiotics Penetrating the Bile and Gallbladder Wall

Biliary tract infections (BTIs), including cholangitis and cholecystitis, are common causes of bacteremia. Bacteremic BTIs are associated with a mortality rate of 9-12%. The extent to which antibiotics are excreted in the bile and the ratio of their exposure to the minimum inhibitory concentration of the infecting organism are among the important factors for the treatment of BTIs. This review updates health care professionals on the distribution of antibiotics in the common bile duct, gallbladder, and gallbladder wall. Antibiotic efficacy in treating BTIs based on the latest available clinical studies is also discussed. The efficacy and pharmacokinetics of 50 antibiotics are discussed. Overall, most antibiotic classes exhibit biliary penetration that translates into clinical efficacy. Only seven antibiotics (amoxicillin, cefadroxil, cefoxitin, ertapenem, gentamicin, amikacin, and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole) had poor biliary penetration profiles. Three antibiotics (ceftibuten, ceftolozane/tazobactam, and doripenem) had positive clinical outcomes despite the lack of pharmacokinetic studies on their penetration into the biliary tract. Conflicting efficacy data were reported for ampicillin despite adequate biliary penetration, whereas conflicting pharmacokinetic data were reported with cefaclor and moxifloxacin. Even in the absence of supportive clinical studies, antibiotics with good biliary penetration profiles may have a place in the treatment of BTIs.

Tokyo Guidelines 2018: antimicrobial therapy for acute cholangitis and cholecystitis

Antimicrobial therapy is a mainstay of the management for patients with acute cholangitis and/or cholecystitis. The Tokyo Guidelines 2018 (TG18) provides recommendations for the appropriate use of antimicrobials for community-acquired and healthcare-associated infections. The listed agents are for empirical therapy provided before the infecting isolates are identified. Antimicrobial agents are listed by class-definitions and TG18 severity grade I, II, and III subcategorized by clinical settings. In the era of emerging and increasing antimicrobial resistance, monitoring and updating local antibiograms is underscored. Prudent antimicrobial usage and early de-escalation or termination of antimicrobial therapy are now important parts of decision-making. What is new in TG18 is that the duration of antimicrobial therapy for both acute cholangitis and cholecystitis is systematically reviewed. Prophylactic antimicrobial usage for elective endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography is no longer recommended and the section was deleted in TG18. Free full articles and mobile app of TG18 are available at: http://www.jshbps.jp/modules/en/index.php?content_id=47. Related clinical questions and references are also included.

Clinical efficacy of intravenous ciprofloxacin in patients with biliary tract infection: a randomized controlled trial with carbapenem as comparator

BACKGROUND

We conducted a randomized controlled trial (RCT) to evaluate the clinical efficacy of an intravenous fluoroquinolone, ciprofloxacin (CIP), in patients with biliary tract infection requiring biliary drainage using imipenem/cilastatin (IPM/CS) as a control.

METHODS

After the initial collection of bile, patients were randomly assigned to receive CIP at 300 mg twice daily by intravenous drip infusion or IPM/CS at 500 mg twice daily by intravenous drip infusion with the envelope method.

RESULTS

The characteristics of the 104 patients evaluated for efficacy were well balanced. The clinical response rates were 100.0% (50/50 patients) in the CIP group and 94.4% (51/54) in the IPM/CS group. The difference in clinical response rate between groups (CIP, IPM/CS) was 5.56% (90% confidence interval: -0.26%, 13.95%), and the non-inferiority of CIP to IPM/CS was confirmed. Adverse events for which causal relationships with the study drugs could not be ruled out developed in 5.4% (3/56) of patients in the CIP group and 5.2% (3/58) of patients in the IPM/CS group, and none of them were serious.

CONCLUSIONS

The clinical efficacy of CIP in treating biliary tract infection requiring drainage was comparable to that of IPM/CS. These findings suggest that CIP is useful as a new therapeutic option for biliary tract infection.

Antimicrobial therapy for acute cholangitis: Tokyo Guidelines

Antimicrobial agents should be administered to all patients with suspected acute cholangitis as a priority as soon as possible. Bile cultures should be performed at the earliest opportunity. The important factors which should be considered in selecting antimicrobial therapy include the agent’s activity against potentially infecting bacteria, the severity of the cholangitis, the presence or absence of renal and hepatic diseases, the patient’s recent history of antimicrobial therapy, and any recent culture results, if available. Biliary penetration of the microbial agents should also be considered in the selection of antimicrobials, but activity against the infecting isolates is of greatest importance. If the causative organisms are identified, empirically chosen antimicrobial drugs should be replaced by narrower-spectrum antimicrobial agents, the most appropriate for the species and the site of the infection.

Antimicrobial therapy for acute cholecystitis: Tokyo Guidelines

Acute cholecystitis consists of various morbid conditions, ranging from mild cases that are relieved by the oral administration of antimicrobial drugs or that resolve even without antimicrobials to severe cases complicated by biliary peritonitis. Microbial cultures should be performed by collecting bile at all available opportunities to identify both aerobic and anaerobic organisms. Empirically selected antimicrobials should be administered. Antimicrobial activity against potential causative organisms, the severity of the cholecystitis, the patient’s past history of antimicrobial therapy, and local susceptibility patterns (antibiogram) must be taken into consideration in the choice of antimicrobial drugs. In mild cases which closely mimic biliary colic, the administration of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) is recommended to prevent the progression of inflammation (recommendation grade A). When causative organisms are identified, the antimicrobial drug should be changed for a narrower-spectrum antimicrobial agent on the basis of the species and their susceptibility testing results.

Systematic review: fluoroquinolones for the treatment of intra-abdominal surgical infections

BACKGROUND

Intra-abdominal infections result in substantial morbidity and mortality. Fluoroquinolones are among the various regimens that are used for the treatment of these infections.

AIM

To evaluate the available data from laboratory and clinical studies regarding the use of fluoroquinolones for the treatment of patients with intra-abdominal infections.

METHODS

We searched for relevant laboratory and clinical studies in the PubMed and the Cochrane Library databases.

RESULTS

Good pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties of fluoroquinolones in inflamed abdominal tissue are reported in several laboratory studies. In six prospective non-randomized clinical studies of patients with intra-abdominal infections, the clinical success achieved with the use of fluoroquinolones ranged from 77% to 94%. In 10 randomized-controlled trials fluoroquinolone-based regimens were compared with other commonly used (mainly beta-lactam-based) regimens. Clinical success, bacterial eradication, withdrawal because of toxicity and mortality were similar between the compared treatment arms except from two randomized-controlled trials, in which clinical success was statistically higher in the fluoroquinolone treatment arm.

CONCLUSIONS

Fluoroquinolones seem to be an effective and relatively safe option for the treatment of patients with intra-abdominal infections.

Diagnosis and management of cholecystitis and cholangitis

Cholelithiasis is a prevalent condition in Western populations. Most cases are asymptomatic but complications can occur. Acute cholangitis, cholecystitis, and gallstone pancreatitis are the most common biliary tract emergencies and are usually caused by biliary calculi. Whenever possible, acute cholecystitis should be treated with early LC. AAC is an uncommon condition usually affecting patients with significant comorbidities. Treatment is usually with percutaneous cholecystostomy, which often is also the only required therapy. Endoscopic drainage is the preferred form of biliary decompression in acute cholangitis and these patients should subsequently undergo elective LC unless unfit for surgery. Effective and optimal management of biliary tract emergencies relies on close cooperation between gastroenterologist, surgeon, and radiologist.