• M E Falagas, S K Kasiakou, D P Kofteridis, G Roditakis, and G Samonis.
• Department of Medicine, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA. m.falagas@aibs.gr
• Eur. J. Clin. Microbiol. Infect. Dis. 2006 Sep 1;25(9):596-9.

AbstractThe prospective case series study presented here was conducted to assess the outcome of patients with infections caused by polymyxin-only-susceptible (POS) gram-negative bacteria managed with intravenous colistin. Between July 2003 and April 2005 a total of 27 patients were infected with a POS gram-negative bacterium and received intravenous colistin at a dose of 2 million international units (MIU) (160 mg or 66.7 mg colistin base) every 8 h for a mean (+/-SD) duration of 13.9 (+/-7.5) days. Nine patients had ventilator-associated pneumonia and received, in addition to the intravenous colistin therapy, 1 MIU (80 mg or 33.3 mg colistin base) aerosolized colistin every 12 h for a mean (+/-SD) duration of 13 (+/-6.5) days. The predominant pathogens were Pseudomonas aeruginosa (n = 17) and Acinetobacter baumannii (n = 12); in two patients both pathogens were isolated from one clinical specimen. In-hospital mortality and clinical response were 15% and 85%, respectively. Colistin-associated nephrotoxicity was observed in two of the 27 patients. POS gram-negative pathogens represent a major threat for hospitalized patients. Colistin appears to be an effective and safe treatment, even in patients with severe underlying diseases.

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