According to the results of phase III of a randomized double-blind study conducted by scientists from the University of Ohio, Cincinnati College of Medicine, ertapenem (Inwanz, Merck & Company Inc) 1 g once a day is also effective for the treatment of intra-abdominal infections, as well as piperacillin / tazobactam (3.375 g every 6 hours).

Ertapenem is a new beta-lactam antibiotic that is active against most of the pathogens of intra-abdominal infections. In its pharmacokinetic parameters and its spectrum of action, ertapenem can potentially be used to treat infections caused by a mixed aerobic and anaerobic flora.

A prospective, randomized, double-blind study involved 633 patients with intra-abdominal infections caused by various pathogens. The study involved patients with various intra-abdominal infections, with predominantly perforated or abscessed appendicitis (60% of patients).

In the first group receiving ertapenem, the treatment efficacy was 79.3%, in the second group receiving piperacillin / tazobactam - 76.2%. Microbiological efficiency in the first group was 86.7%, in the second group - 81.2%. All of the differences found between the groups were statistically insignificant.

The study clearly showed that ertapenem is as effective and safe as piperacillin / tazobactam in the treatment of various intra-abdominal infections. The results obtained indicate that ertapenem can become an alternative drug in the empirical treatment of intra-abdominal infections, and the main advantages of the drug are the possibility of use as monotherapy and administration once a day.