Compatibility of carbapenem antibiotics with nafamostat mesilate in arterial infusion therapy for severe acute pancreatitis: stabilities of carbapenem antibiotics.

The effectiveness of continuous regional arterial infusion therapy using protease inhibitors and antibiotics for severe acute pancreatitis has been previously reported. Carbapenem antibiotics, which have a broad antibacterial spectrum, and nafamostat mesilate are often used for this therapeutic approach. We investigated the compatibility of various carbapenem antibiotics with nafamostat mesilate. Carbapenem antibiotics were dissolved in 30 mL of saline or 5% glucose and the appearance, pH, and stability of the solutions were determined. The changes in each carbapenem antibiotic solution after mixing with nafamostat mesilate were then investigated. Biapenem and doripenem showed a residual rate of > or = 90% at 8 hours after dissolution in saline or 5% glucose and exhibited an appropriate appearance and residual rate (> or = 90%). After mixing with nafamostat mesilate, biapenem maintained a residual rate of > or = 90% for the longest time period (8 hours) and exhibited a slight coloration, followed by doripenem (6 hours) and meropenem dissolved in saline. The other carbapenem antibiotics that were tested exhibited changes in appearance or their residual rate. Biapenem and doripenem, which exert their effects in a time-dependent manner, can be infused for prolonged periods for the treatment of not only severe acute pancreatitis, but also other severe infections.