Efficacy of prolonged versus standard infusion meropenem in critically Ill pediatric patients with sepsis: A randomized controlled trial

Background

This study compared meropenem administered for a longer duration with its standard duration in suspected and confirmed bacterial sepsis. This study aims assess the efficacy of prolonged infusion meropenem versus standard infusion in critically ill patients admitted to the pediatric ICU. Material and Methods: This randomized controlled trial included 150 critically ill pediatric patients and was conducted in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit of PNS Shifa Hospital, Karachi, from 01 January 2025 to 30 June 2025. The trial was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT07122596). Children (1 month to 16 years) with suspected or proven bacterial sepsis who required meropenem intravenously were selected. Independent samples t-test or Mann–Whitney U test was used to compare continuous variables, and chi-square or Fisher's exact test was used to compare categorical variables. The relative risks with 95% confidence intervals were used to express the effects of treatment.