title: Intravenous or intramuscular teicoplanin once daily for skin and soft-tissue infections.
abstract: Teicoplanin is a new glycopeptide antibiotic with potent activity against gram-positive bacteria and pharmacokinetics that allow once daily administration. To study the efficacy and safety of teicoplanin for skin and soft-tissue infections, 75 patients received teicoplanin intravenously (38) or intramuscularly (37, of which 16 were outpatients). Of 62 clinically evaluable patients, 97 percent of teicoplanin iv and 93 percent of teicoplanin im patients were cured or improved. All teicoplanin iv patients and 64 percent of teicoplanin im patients were cured microbiologically at 24-48 hours posttherapy. Persistence of organisms frequently was associated with skin ulcers or abscess cavities and usually had no bearing on clinical outcome. Possible adverse clinical and laboratory reactions caused by teicoplanin occurred in 4 of 38 teicoplanin iv patients (11 percent) and in 8 of 37 teicoplanin im patients (22 percent). Reactions were mild and resolved with discontinuation of teicoplanin in most cases. In this study, teicoplanin appeared to be safe, efficacious, and convenient for both hospital staff and patients, and potentially cost-effective for the treatment of skin and soft-tissue infections. In particular, teicoplanin appears to be appropriate for outpatient parenteral therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Martinez, CA 94553.
authors.forename: H E
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Edelstein
authors.forename: S E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Oster
authors.forename: V A
authors.initials: VA
authors.lastname: Chirurgi
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Karp
authors.forename: K B
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: Cassano
authors.forename: R E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: McCabe
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002481:Cellulitis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D006020:Glycopeptides / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016908:Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007273:Injections, Intramuscular; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D008297:Male; D012874:Skin Diseases, Infectious / Q000188:drug therapy*; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000188:drug therapy; D017334:Teicoplanin; D014946:Wound Infection / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D006020:Glycopeptides; D017334:Teicoplanin