Successful de-escalation antibiotic therapy using cephamycins for sepsis caused by extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae bacteremia: A sequential 25-case series

Carbapenems are frequently used to treat infections caused by extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (ESBL-E), but carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae bacteria are a clinical concern. Although cephamycins (cefmetazole; CMZ) have been shown to be effective against mild cases of ESBL-E infection, data on their use for severe ESBL-E infections with sepsis or septic shock remain scarce. Herein, we discuss a de-escalation therapy to CMZ that could be used after empiric antibiotic therapy in ICU patients with sepsis or septic shock caused by ESBL-E bacteremia. A sequence of 25 cases diagnosed with sepsis or septic shock caused by ESBL-E bacteria was evaluated. The attending infectious disease specialist physicians selected the antibiotics and decided the de-escalation timing. The median SOFA (Sequential Organ Failure Assessment) and APACHE II (Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II) severity scores were 8 and 30; the rate of septic shock was 60%. Infections originated most frequently with urinary tract infection (UTI) (56%) and Escherichia coli (85%). Eleven patients were de-escalated to CMZ after vital signs were stable, and all survived. No patients died of UTI regardless of with or without de-escalation. The median timing of de-escalation antibiotic therapy after admission was 4 days (range, 3–6 days). At the time of de-escalation, the median SOFA score fell from 8 to 5, the median APACHE II score from 28 to 22, and the rate of septic shock from 55% to 0%. We conclude that for sepsis in UTI caused by ESBL-E bacteremia, de-escalation therapy from broad-spectrum antibiotics to CMZ is a potential treatment option when vital signs are stable.