Ceftriaxone versus combined gentamicin and clindamycin for polymicrobial surgical sepsis

During a 7 month trial for therapy of polymicrobial surgical sepsis, intravenous antibiotic treatment was randomized between gentamicin (1 mg/kg every 8 hours) plus clindamycin (8 mg/kg every 6 hours), and the cephalosporin, ceftriaxone (1 g every 12 hours) in 197 patients, of whom 99 were being treated for peritonitis, 93 for soft tissue sepsis, and 5 for other forms of infection. No significant difference were noted in patient demographics, type of sepsis, associated disease states, surgical procedure, or causative aerobic or anaerobic pathogens. Results demonstrated approximately equivalent efficacy, although cure rates obtained with ceftriaxone in patients with soft tissue sepsis or intraabdominal abscess were superior to those achieved with combination gentamicin and clindamycin. There were no significant side effects with ceftriaxone therapy, such as the renal failure noted in six of the patients treated with gentamicin and clindamycin. We conclude that single agent treatment with ceftriaxone is preferable because of the greater safety and the longer dosing intervals.