Prospective, randomized comparative study of clindamycin, chloramphenicol, and ticarcillin, each in combination with gentamicin, in therapy for intraabdominal and female genital tract sepsis.

The results of a prospective, randomized comparative study of the efficacy and toxicity of clindamycin, chloramphenicol, and ticarcillin in the treatment, concomitantly with gentamicin to ensure complete aerobic coverage, of 175 patients with serious mixed aerobic/anaerobic intraabdominal or female genital tract sepsis are reported. In the group with intraabdominal sepsis, 33 (79%) of 42 treated with clindamycin, 43 (81%) of 53 treated with chloramphenicol, and 35 (90%) of 39 treated with ticarcillin were cured. In the group with genital tract sepsis, 16 (94%) of 17 treated with clindamycin, 11 (100%) of 11 treated with chloramphenicol, and 12 (92%) of 13 treated with ticarcillin were cured. Diarrhea occurred most frequently in patients treated with clindamycin (P < 0.001), hematologic suppression occurred most frequently in patients treated with chloramphenicol (P < 0.01), and hypokalemia occurred most frequently in patients treated with ticarcillin (P < 0.01). Clindamycin, chloramphenicol, and ticarcillin, each in combination with gentamicin, are equally effective in therapy for intraabdominal or female genital tract sepsis.