[Treatment of moderate or severe infections using imipenem/cilastatin. 41 cases based on a multicenter protocol].

Imipenem and cilastatin in combination have a broad spectrum in vitro with a strong killing activity on most bacteria. Using a multicenter study design, we investigated 41 patients with moderate or severe infections: septicemia in 18 cases (Gram negative rods in 10, Gram positive cocci in 7 and combination of both in 1), pneumonia in 7, osteitis in 4, soft tissue infection in 7, infection of the genitourinary tract in 6 and miscellaneous infections in the remaining cases (1 abscess of the pancreas, 1 typhoid fever, 1 presumptive endocarditis). All of the bacteria were susceptible to imipenem/cilastatin: MICs ranged from 0.02 to 0.8 mg/l and MBCs from 0.015 to more than 10 mg/l. All patients except one recovered or improved under imipenem/cilastatin. The patient who failed to respond had septicemia due to a methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus with a MBC and MIC above 10 and 0.5 mg/l respectively. Tolerance was outstanding: only 4 patients had adverse effects requiring withdrawal of the drug.