Antibiotic treatment and associated prolonged prothrombin time. |
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| Authors: | K J Williams R P Bax H Brown S J Machin |
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| Affiliation: | ICI Pharmaceuticals, Mereside, Alderley Park, Macclesfield, Cheshire. |
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| Abstract: | ![]()
The incidence and type of pathology causing a prolonged prothrombin time and clinical bleeding episodes were assessed in a multicentre study of 1109 patients receiving cefotetan, a N-methyl-thiotetrazole (NMTT), or equivalent antibiotics. There was no significant difference in the incidence of a prolonged prothrombin time (9.9% with cefotetan, 8.0% with comparable antibiotics) of clinical bleeding episodes. However, prothrombin time increases of greater than 12 seconds were significantly (p = 0.002) greater with cefotetan (3.8%) than with comparators (0.8%). In both antibiotic groups increases in prothrombin time were more likely following surgery and in patients who were older, with a high platelet count, low albumin, or higher urea and creatinine concentrations. All antibiotic treatment can be associated with prolonged prothrombin times and new agents should always be assessed in a large multicentre study before the practical, clinical importance of haemostatic defects can be defined. |
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