Cefepime is a fourth-generation cephalosporin antibiotic.
Neurotoxicity associated with cefepime
The use of cefepime can lead to symptoms of neurological toxicity. This may occur particularly in critically ill patients with impaired renal function and can also occur with renally adjusted dosing1 2.
| Symptom | Frequency in cefepime toxicity3 |
|---|---|
| Decreased level of consciousness | 80 % |
| Disorientation / agitation | 47 % |
| Myoclonus | 40 % |
| Seizures | 11 % |
| Aphasia | 9 % |
References
Fugate, Jennifer E., et al. "Cefepime neurotoxicity in the intensive care unit: a cause of severe, underappreciated encephalopathy." Critical Care 17.6 (2013): 1-6. ↩ ↩
Gangireddy, Venu Gopala Reddy, Lauren C. Mitchell, and Teresa Coleman. "Cefepime neurotoxicity despite renal adjusted dosing." Scandinavian journal of infectious diseases 43.10 (2011): 827-829. ↩ ↩
Appa, Ayesha A., et al. "Characterizing cefepime neurotoxicity: a systematic review." Open forum infectious diseases. Vol. 4. No. 4. US: Oxford University Press, 2017. ↩ ↩