Real-life use of cefiderocol for salvage therapy of severe infections due to carbapenem-resistant Gram-negative bacteria

Abstract

Treatment of infections caused by carbapenem-resistant Gram-negative bacteria (CR-GNB) is challenging and new active antibiotics are needed urgently. This study describes the efficacy and safety of cefiderocol in a retrospective series of 13 patients with severe CR-GNB infection and limited treatment options. Pseudomonas aeruginosa was the predominant CR-GNB (n=8), followed by Burkholderia cepacia (n=3), Sthenotrophomona maltophilia (n=1) and KPC-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae (n=1). The source of infection was nosocomial pneumonia in 92.3% of cases (12/13), of which 11 cases were ventilator-associated pneumonia. Five patients were lung transplant recipients (38.5%). The median duration of treatment was 10 days (range 6-21 days). No severe adverse effects required reducing the dose or interrupting the treatment. Clinical and microbiological cure were assessed 7 days after the end of treatment, and achieved in 84.6% (11/13) of patients. Crude mortality at day 28 was observed in 23.1% (3/13) of cases. Cefiderocol is a valid alternative for the treatment of susceptible CR-GNB infections in patients with limited therapeutic options.