Antibiotic-treated Group Research Articles

Prophylactic antibiotics in cesarean section: A double-blind study of cefazolin

One hundred twenty-two patients were evaluated prospectively to determine the clinical efficacy of prophylactic cefazolin (Ancef∗) in cesarean section. The cefazolin was administered intravenously in a high-dose, short perioperative regimen. Postoperatively, each patient was evaluated for morbidity. Over all, the postoperative morbidity rate was reduced from 30 per cent in the placebo group to 18 per cent in the cefazolin group. More important, the infection rate associated with primary cesarean section was significantly lessened from 38 per cent in the placebo group to 16 per cent in the drug group (p < 0.025). In repeat cesarean sections, the postoperative morbidity rate was greater in the antibiotic-treated group (20 per cent) than in the placebo group (14 per cent). Of major importance, a predominant organism, Group D streptococcus, was encountered in the postoperative cultures of the cefazolin group.

Elevated fecal levels of endogenous pancreatic endopeptidases after antibiotic treatment.

Feces from normal and antibiotic-treated persons were analyzed for the content of immunoreactive trypsin and elastase. In the control group the mean concentration of immunoreactive trypsin was 13 microgram per g feces as compared to 147 in the antibiotic-treated group. Elastase was demonstrable in only 3 of 30 samples in the control group but in 20 of 26 in the antibiotic-treated group. The decreased inactivation of pancreatic proteases must depend on an altered intestinal microflora. The results suggest that reestablishment of a normal enteric flora may take months after the short time oral administration of antibiotics.