Comparison of the Clinical Efficacy of Ampicillin/Sulbactam and Cefoperazone/Sulbactam Against Multidrug Resistant Acinetobacter Baumannii Infections in Critically Ill Patients

August 8, 2025 updated by: Ayah Mohammed Khalil Ibrahem, Cairo University
To compare the clinical effectiveness of two different sulbactam-based regimens (ampicillin-sulbactam versus cefoperazone-sulbactam) in the treatment of Acinetobacter baumannii infections in critically ill patients.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Recruiting

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

Among Acinetobacter species, Acinetobacter baumannii is the most important member and is commonly implicated in nosocomial infections. Acinetobacter baumannii is a gram-negative coccobacillus that has emerged from an organism of questionable pathogenicity to an infectious agent of importance to hospitals worldwide. In the intensive care unit ICU setting, Acinetobacter baumannii has been implicated in severe and occasionally life-threatening infections such as ventilator-associated pneumonia and bloodstream infections. Acinetobacter baumannii can produce biofilms in environments exposed to antibiotics; thus, it can survive for long periods and easily develop multidrug (MD), extremely or extensively drug (XD), and even pan-drug resistances (R) to various types of antibiotics, resulting in high patient mortality.

The underlying mechanisms can be divided into three categories. First, A. baumannii produces decomposition enzymes that deactivate antibiotics. Second, it can reduce or hinder the entry of antibiotics. For example, A. baumannii prevents the entry of antibiotics by controlling efflux pumps, or it can remove the antibiotics that have entered the cells. Third, point mutations alter the targets or functions of bacteria and reduce their affinity for antibiotics. Owing to its strong infectivity and drug resistance, A. baumannii has been added to the list of the World Health Organization's antibiotic-resistance priority pathogens.

Sulbactam, a beta-lactamase inhibitor, is commercially available mainly in combination with β-lactam antibiotics (as in ampicillin-sulbactam or cefoperazone-sulbactam), is a drug containing a beta-lactam ring derived from 6-aminopenicllanic acid. It can bind to the active sites of b-lactamase antibiotics to protect against antibiotic hydrolysis and restore antibiotic activity.

The antimicrobial property distinguishing sulbactam from other beta-lactamase inhibitors is its activity against Acinetobacter spp. Therefore, sulbactam is an alternative treatment option due to the worldwide spread of multidrug resistance Acinetobacter baumannii, for which only a few effective antimicrobial agents are currently available. The Infectious Diseases Society of America Antimicrobial-Resistant Treatment Guidance suggests that high-dose ampicillin-sulbactam (total daily dose of 6-9 grams of the sulbactam component) be included in the combination therapy regimen. If ampicillin-sulbactam non-susceptibility is shown, high-dose ampicillin-sulbactam can still be a helpful therapy choice. Acinetobacter baumannii isolates in China were more susceptible to cefoperazone-sulbactam than to ampicillin-sulbactam (resistance rates 48.8% vs 59.1%). The literature's limited data indicated that patients with Acinetobacter baumannii may expect moderate clinical benefits with Cefoperazone -Sulbactam. Salvation therapy may be attempted with combination treatment, particularly with polymyxins. There are no randomized controlled studies investigating the effectiveness of cefoperazone-sulbactam in the presence or absence of polymyxins for Acinetobacter baumannii infections.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
50

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.
  • Name: Ayah M Khalil Ibrahem, MSc in clinical pharmacy
  • Phone Number: +20 1094748214
  • Email: dr.ayaaa@yahoo.com

Study Locations

  • Egypt
      • Cairo, Egypt, 11562
        • Recruiting
        • Cairo university hospitals kasr alainy

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Inclusion criteria:

    1. Age ≥21 years old.
    2. Patient with signs and symptoms of sepsis.
    3. positive culture Carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (CRAB).

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Exclusion criteria:

    1. Empirical sulbactam-based therapy against Gram-negative bacteria
    2. History of hypersensitivity reactions to ampicillin-sulbactam/cefoperazone-sulbactam

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Active Comparator: Ampicillin- sulbactam
Intravenous ampicillin-sulbactam (2:1)
Drug: Ampicillin - Sulbactam Injection
Two grams of Ampicillin/sulbactam IV are administered every 8 hours, and each dose is administered as an extended infusion over 4 hours. The solution is diluted with a compatible solution (normal saline 0.9%) with a final concentration not exceeding 45mg/ml.
Experimental: Cefoperazone-sulbactam
intravenous cefoperazone-sulbactam (1:1)
Drug: Cefoperazone-sulbactam injection
Two grams of Cefoperazone/sulbactam IV are administered every 8 hours, and each dose is administered as an extended infusion over 4 hours. The solution is diluted with a compatible solution (normal saline 0.9%) with a maximum final concentration of 250 mg/ml

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Treatment effectiveness Based on Clinical improvement
Time Frame: 5 days

Clinical response will be assessed by ICU physicians based on physical examination findings and daily clinical records on Day 5 of treatment.

Patients will be classified into one of the following categories:

  • Cure: Complete resolution of signs and symptoms related to the infection
  • Failure: No improvement, persistence of symptoms beyond 72 hours, or deterioration requiring antibiotic escalation Unit of Measure: % of patients with clinical cure or failure Clinical evaluation performed daily by ICU physicians using physical examination and patient records, in accordance with standardized definitions of clinical response outlined by the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) and IDSA (Infectious Diseases Society of America) 2024-2025 guidelines including primary blood stream infection-skin and soft tissue and surgical site infection-intra abdominal infection- lower respiratory infection- urinary tract infection- catheter related infection and bone and joint infection.
5 days

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Bacteriological Response Assessed by Culture and Sensitivity Testing
Time Frame: 5 days

Microbiological eradication will be assessed using microbiological cultures collected on Day 5 from appropriate clinical specimens (e.g., sputum, blood, wound, urine, central line ).

Categories of response include:

  • Eradication: No growth of Acinetobacter baumannii
  • Persistence: Continued growth of A. baumannii
  • Superinfection: Growth of a new microorganism Unit of Measure: % of patients with eradication, persistence, or superinfection Antimicrobial susceptibility of the isolated bacteria was determined by the Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method based on the Clinical and Laboratory Standard Institute (CLSI) guideline. The isolates resistant to 2 or more drug classes simultaneously were considered to be multidrug resistant (MDR) (hospital microbiology laboratory).
5 days

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Cairo University

Collaborators

Collaborators

An organization other than the sponsor that provides support for a clinical study. This support may include activities related to funding, design, implementation, data analysis, or reporting.
Cairo University Hospitals

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Study Director: Ahmed M Mukhtar, Professor Anesthesia and ICU, Cairo Univesrsity hospitals Kasr Alainy

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
May 1, 2025

Primary Completion (Estimated)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
January 1, 2026

Study Completion (Estimated)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
January 1, 2026

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
June 20, 2025

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
August 8, 2025

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
August 12, 2025

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
August 12, 2025

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
August 8, 2025

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
August 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • N-138-2025

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

UNDECIDED

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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