Randomized multicentre study of ciprofloxacin and azlocillin versus gentamicin and azlocillin in the treatment of febrile neutropenic patients

In a randomized multicentre study ciprofloxacin combined with azlocillin was compared with gentamicin and azlocillin for the treatment of febrile episodes in neutropenic patients. In 147 evaluable episodes in 108 patients, 80 patients received ciprofloxacin/azlocillin and 67 received gentamicin/azlocillin. The two treatment groups were comparable in terms of age, underlying diagnosis, and duration of neutropenia. Both treatments were generally well-tolerated; one patient in the ciprofloxacin/azlocillin group developed convulsions, probably related to ciprofloxacin. The combination of ciprofloxacin and azlocillin is as effective as gentamicin plus azlocillin and offers a useful alternative for the empirical treatment of febrile neutropenic patients.