Cefepime versus carbapenems for the treatment of urinary tract infections caused by extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing enterobacteriaceae

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of cefepime compared with carbapenems for the management of urinary tract infections (UTIs) caused by extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Enterobacteriaceae. This was a single-centre, retrospective study among patients with a documented ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae UTI between 1 July 2014 and 31 January 2017. Adult patients who received either cefepime or a carbapenem for symptomatic UTI were included in the analysis. The primary endpoint was clinical failure, defined by persistence of initial UTI symptoms that required escalation of therapy. Secondary endpoints included microbiological failure and relapse within 30 days. Of a total of 106 patients included in the study, 17 received cefepime and 89 received a carbapenem. None of the patients in either group experienced clinical or microbiological failure. Relapse occurred in six patients in the carbapenem group and none in the cefepime group. In conclusion, cefepime was comparable with carbapenems in the treatment of UTIs caused by ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae. Its use as a carbapenem-sparing agent for this indication should be further explored.