Researchers at the Veterans Affairs Ann Arbor Healthcare System and the University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor found a widely used antibiotic for the treatment of sepsis was more likely to be associated with mortality than another treatment. The researchers concluded that the use of anti-aerobic antibiotics to treat sepsis may be harmful. Cefepime, which acts similarly against sepsis-causing bacteria, has little effect on anaerobic bacteria found in the stomach and intestines.
Cefepime is used to treat bacteria causing pneumonia, and skin and urinary tract infections. Anaerobic infections can result from trauma or surgery. Zosyn kills most anaerobic bacteria in the gut, which also have beneficial effects on immunity, metabolism, and infection prevention.
Vancomycin is an antibiotic that fights against intestinal bacteria. The study examined hospital records of admissions from July 1, 2014, to Dec. 31, 2018, including the Zosyn shortage period of 15 months, beginning June 12, 2015.
At the treatment mark of 90 days, Zosyn “was associated with an absolute mortality increase of 5.0%,” the study report says. The study report shows that one additional septic patient out of 20 may die if treated with Zosyn instead of Cefepime.
“Our results demonstrate that antibiotics really can’t be considered a single entity, as they have widely different impacts on the microbiome and on our patients,” said Dr. Robert Dickson, associate professor of internal medicine, Universit.
