SynthesisPloS one2018
Clinical outcomes of prolonged infusion (extended infusion or continuous infusion) versus intermittent bolus of meropenem in severe infection: A meta-analysis.
Synthesis in PloS one, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 55 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
55 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Systematic review and meta-analysis to identify meropenem exposures and pharmacological targets predictive of clinical outcomes.The Journal of antimicrobial chemotherapy · 2026Pooled it
- Effectiveness and safety of meropenem-vaborbactam versus ceftazidime-avibactam in multidrug-resistant Gram-negative infections: a systematic review and meta-analysis with trial sequential analysis.Antimicrobial agents and chemotherapy · 2026Pooled it
- Continuous vs. intermittent meropenem infusion in critically ill patients with sepsis: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials with trial sequential analysis.Frontiers in medicine · 2025Pooled it
- Investigation of pharmacokinetic and clinical outcomes of various meropenem regimens in patients with ventilator-associated pneumonia and augmented renal clearance.European journal of clinical pharmacology · 2022Trial
- Relationship between continuous infusion meropenem PK/PD target attainment and C-reactive protein dynamics in onco-haematologic patients with febrile neutropenia.British journal of clinical pharmacology · 2026Article
- Comparative efficacy and safety of extended versus continuous infusion of beta-lactam antibiotics for severe infection: a network meta-analysis of randomized trials.Critical care (London, England) · 2026Article
- Meropenem Use and Challenges in Treating Severe Infections in Pakistan Amid Antimicrobial Resistance.Interdisciplinary perspectives on infectious diseases · 2026Review
- Successful Treatment ofClinical case reports · 2025Article
- Personalized Approaches to Patients with Intra-Abdominal Infections.Journal of clinical medicine · 2025Review
- A Real-Life Study of Prolonged Meropenem Infusion in Neonates and Children Admitted to Intensive Care Units: Are Three Hours Long Enough?Journal of clinical medicine · 2025Article
- Initial Meropenem Plasma Concentration and Its Correlation with Sepsis Mortality: A Real-World Retrospective Study.Infection and drug resistance · 2025Article
- Impact of Continuous Infusion Meropenem PK/PD Target Attainment on C-Reactive Protein Dynamics in Critically Ill Patients With Documented Gram-Negative Hospital-Acquired or Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia.Clinical pharmacokinetics · 2024Article
- Article
- A Retrospective Analysis of Intravenous Push versus Extended Infusion Meropenem in Critically Ill Patients.Antibiotics (Basel, Switzerland) · 2024Article
- Guidelines for Antibacterial Treatment of Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacterales Infections.Infection & chemotherapy · 2024Review
- Antibiotics, Analgesic Sedatives, and Antiseizure Medications Frequently Used in Critically Ill Neonates: A Narrative Review.Children (Basel, Switzerland) · 2024Review
- Intra-abdominal infections survival guide: a position statement by the Global Alliance For Infections In Surgery.World journal of emergency surgery : WJES · 2024Review
- How to use meropenem in pediatric patients undergoing CKRT? Integrated meropenem pharmacokinetic model for critically ill children.Antimicrobial agents and chemotherapy · 2024Article
- Review
- Problematic meta-analyses: Bayesian and frequentist perspectives on combining randomized controlled trials and non-randomized studies.BMC medical research methodology · 2024Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundMeropenem exhibits time-dependent antimicrobial activity and prolonged infusion (PI) (extended infusion or continuous infusion, EI or CI) of meropenem can better achieve pharmacodynamics target when comparing with intermittent bolus (IB). However, the clinical outcomes between two groups remain inconclusive.
objectiveTo evaluate current published literatures by meta-analysis to ascertain whether PI of meropenem can improve clinical outcomes.
methodsMedline, Cochrane database and EMBASE were searched. Randomized control trails (RCT) and observational studies which compared the clinical outcomes of PI and IB groups were included and evaluated for quality. The data of studies were extracted and meta-analysis was performed using Revman 5.3 software.
resultsSix RCTs and 4 observation studies with relatively high quality were included in this analysis. Compared to IB group, PI group had a higher clinical success rate (odd ratio 2.10, 95% confidence interval 1.31-3.38) and a lower mortality (risk ratio 0.66, 95% confidence interval 0.50-0.88). The sensitivity analysis showed the results were stable.
conclusionPI of meropenem was associated with a higher clinical improvement rate and a lower mortality. It is recommended for patients with severe infection or infected by less sensitive microbial.
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