Cefepime-Vancomycin versus Ceftazidime-Vancomycin as Empiric Therapy in Febrile Neutropenic Patients

From March 1993 to February 1994 a prospective randomized trial was conducted in four university hospitals in Belgium comparing cefepime to ceftazidime in association with vancomycin as empiric therapy for febrile episodes in neutropenic patients. In 1993 ceftazidime-vancomycin was considered as a standard therapy for this group of patients. Patients were randomized to receive either cefepime 2 g every 8 h with vancomycin, or ceftazidime 2 g 3 times a day plus vancomycin.