Piperacillin/Tazobactam versus cefotaxime plus metronidazole for treatment of children with intra-abdominal infections requiring surgery.

The efficacy of piperacillin/tazobactam at 100/12.5 mg/kg every 8 h (35 patients) was compared to cefotaxime plus metronidazole at 50/7.5 mg/kg every 8 h (35 patients) in 70 children with intra-abdominal infections requiring surgery. Diagnoses were gangrenous or perforated appendicitis (n =56), peritonitis (n =12), and abscess (n =2). Clinical cure was observed in 35 of 35 evaluable patients treated with piperacilin/tazobactam and in 34 of 34 evaluable patients treated with cefotaxime plus metronidazole. Presumed bacteriological eradication was noted in 29 of 30 evaluable patients in the piperacillin/tazobactam group and in 31 of 31 evaluable patients in the cefotaxime plus metronidazole group. In this study, piperacillin/tazobactam was as effective as cefotaxime plus metronidazole for treating children with intra-abdominal infections requiring surgery.