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Corticosteroid therapy combined with antibiotics for severe Streptococcus pneumoniae pneumonia in ventilated piglets

Minlan Yang, Gianluigi Li Bassi, Ana Motos, Hua Yang, Joaquim Bobí, Andrea Meli, Denise Battaglini, Roberto Cabrera et al.

2019

2 citations

Abstract

Introduction:Streptococcus pneumoniae is the leading cause of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). β-lactams combined with corticosteroids and macrolides may reduce the treatment failure rate and the mortality of CAP. Objective: We aimed to compare the efficacy of different antibiotic combinations and the adjunct therapy with corticosteroids, in a swine pneumococcal pneumonia model. Methods: Thirty pigs (32±3kg) were mechanically ventilated for 76h. At diagnosis of pneumonia after intrabronchial inoculation of S. pneumoniae 19A, animals were randomized to receive: saline(control); 150mg/kg ceftriaxone (CTX) + 10mg/kg levofloxacin (LVX) q24h; 150mg/kg CTX+ 45mg/kg azithromycin (AZT) q24h;150mg/kg CTX + 10mg/kg LVX q24h + 0.5mg/kg methylprednisolone (MP) q12h; or 150mg/kg CTX + 45mg/kg AZT q24h + 0.5mg/kg MP q12h. Gas exchange and pulmonary mechanics were evaluated every 24h. Upon autopsy, lung biopsies were obtained to quantify bacterial burden. Results: Figure 1 displays main respiratory parameters. Upon autopsy, S. pneumoniae lung tissue burden was 3.7±1.6, 0.5±0.6, 0.1±0.2, 0.1±0.2 logCFU/g, in control, CTX+AZT, CTX+LVX, CTX+LVX+MP groups, respectively (p<0.001), whereas in CTX+AZT+MP was never found. Conclusions: In this pneumococcal pneumonia model, corticosteroids combined with macrolides showed higher antimicrobial efficacy, while fluoroquinolones may improve respiratory parameters.

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