Caspofungin - for invasive fungal in-fections in pediatric surgical patients

Rodica Bădeţi
Secţia ATI, Clinica de chirurgie şi ortopedie pediatrică, Spitalul Clinic de Pediatrie „Luis Ţurcanu”, Timişoara

Abstract

Mortality in invasive candidiasis is still high (40%) due to diagnosis difficulties and despite treatment options. High risk patients for fungal infections need an early broad spectrum and very effective therapy for a prolonged period of time (at least one week after the first negative culture).
A number of 23 patients, mean age 2.5 years (ranges one week – 16 years) were enrolled in this study. Caspofungin was administered as follows: 1.4 mg/kg 1 hour i.v. perfusion, followed by 1 mg/kg/day in the next days. The mean treatment period was 16.2 days (11-45 days), independent of the Candida spp.
Eight patients died, but only one due to the fungal infection. Our clinical results suggest that caspofungin was the best option even for the treatment of neonate patients.
Key words: caspofungin, invasive fungal infection, pediatric surgical patient

Tratamentul infecţiei fungice invazive cu caspofungin la copilul chirurgical

Jurnalul Român de Anestezie Terapie intensivă 2007 Vol.14 Nr.1, 22-25