title: Retrospective evaluation of therapies for Staphylococcus aureus endocarditis.
abstract: We retrospectively evaluated antiinfective therapy for methicillin-sensitive (MSSA) and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) endocarditis in 54 patients who had 57 treatment courses for the disease. Three treatments were assessed: 27 nafcillin-treated courses of MSSA endocarditis, 18 vancomycin-treated courses of MSSA endocarditis, and 11 vancomycin-treated courses of MRSA endocarditis. At baseline, patients with MSSA treated with vancomycin had more chronic conditions (p<0.01), a lower frequency of intravenous drug use (p<0.01), a lower hematocrit concentration (p<0.05), and a higher serum creatinine concentration (p<0.05) than the nafcillin group. Vancomycin-treated patients had a higher complication rate during therapy (p<0.05) and a longer duration in an intensive care unit (p<0.01) than the nafcillin group. The trend was for a higher complete response rate in the nafcillin group (74% vs 50%, p=0.12), but no difference in mortality (22% vs 28%, p=0.73). Patients with MRSA infection treated with vancomycin had higher mortality than those with MSSA who received that drug (55% vs 28%, p=0.24). Patients with vancomycin-treated MSSA endocarditis may have a poorer outcome than those who receive nafcillin, but this may be influenced by different or more severe clinical features.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy Practice, College of Pharmacy, University of Illinois at Chicago, 60612, USA.
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Gentry
authors.forename: K A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Rodvold
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Novak
authors.forename: R C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Hershow
authors.forename: O J
authors.initials: OJ
authors.lastname: Naderer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004697:Endocarditis, Bacterial / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016106:Methicillin Resistance / Q000502:physiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009254:Nafcillin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014640:Vancomycin / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D009254:Nafcillin; D014640:Vancomycin