Pre-emptive antibiotic treatment vs 'standard' treatment in patients with elevated serum procalcitonin levels after elective colorectal surgery: a prospective randomised pilot study.

Background: Procalcitonin (PCT) is regarded as a specific indicator of bacterial infection. Infectious complications in patients after colorectal surgery are a common cause of morbidity and mortality. The aim of this study was to investigate (a) whether PCT could serve as a negative predictive marker for postoperative complications and (b) whether, in patients with elevated PCT levels, a pre-emptive treatment with the third-generation cephalosporin ceftriaxone is superior to an antibiotic treatment starting later on the appearance of clinical signs and symptoms of infection.

[Prospective comparative observational study on the antibiotic treatment of secondary peritonitis in Germany -- efficacy and cost analysis].

Aims: Cephalosporins and broad-spectrum penicillins in combination with metronidazole are suitable for treatment of secondary peritonitis. The aim of this study was to compare the clinical and bacteriological efficacy, length of hospital stay (LOS), treatment costs of ceftriaxone (CRO) in combination with metronidazole vs standard regimens (SR) 1 and 2.

Methods: Patient data were subjected to matched-pairs analysis according to four different categories of the Mannheim peritonitis index.