Retrospective analysis of factors decreasing the efficacy of tazobactam/piperacillin for pneumonia in elderly patients

Abstract

Tazobactam/piperacillin (TAZ/PIPC) is an antimicrobial drug agent with a broad spectrum of antibacterial activity and is recommended as first-line therapy for hospital-acquired pneumonia, nursing- and healthcare-associated pneumonia, and other severe pneumonias. Nevertheless, in clinical settings, TAZ/PIPC is not fully effective in the treatment of pneumonia in the elderly. In the present study, we retrospectively investigated the efficacy of TAZ/PIPC for pneumonia in elderly patients and identified factors that reduced its efficacy. Ninety-nine patients (mean age of 83.4 years and no significant difference in the sex ratio) were included in the present study. The efficacy rate of TAZ/PIPC for pneumonia in elderly patients was 81.8％, which was approximately 7 to 10％ lower than that in domestic phase III trials. A multivariate analysis identified the complications of chronic respiratory disease as a significant factor attenuating the therapeutic effects of TAZ/PIPC [odds ratio 4.050, 95％ confidence interval (CI) 1.008-16.271]. In conclusion, TAZ/ PIPC may not be sufficiently effective for pneumonia in elderly patients with the complications of chronic respiratory disease as a background.