Comparison of length of hospital stay for patients with known or suspected methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus species infections treated with linezolid or vancomycin: a randomized, multicenter trial.
OBJECTIVE
To compare hospital length of stay (LOS), weekly discharges, and days of antibiotic treatment with linezolid (intravenous with oral follow-up) and vancomycin (intravenous only).


METHODS
Multinational, randomized, phase III trial.


METHODS
Hospitals in North America, Latin America, and Europe.


METHODS
Four hundred sixty hospitalized patients with infections of known or suspected methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus species.


METHODS
Administration of linezolid or vancomycin.


RESULTS
For linezolid recipients, median LOS was 5 and 8 days shorter (p=0.05 and 0.003) in the complicated skin and soft tissue infection intent-to-treat (230 patients) and clinically evaluable (144) samples, and slightly but not significantly shorter in the overall intent-to-treat (460) and clinically evaluable (254) samples. In all samples, linezolid recipients had more discharges in the first week of treatment and fewer days of intravenous therapy than vancomycin recipients.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results support linezolid's ability to reduce medical resource use.
Li
Z
Z
Global Outcomes Research, Pharmacia Corporation, Peapack, New Jersey, USA.
Willke
R J
RJ
Pinto
L A
LA
Rittenhouse
B E
BE
Rybak
M J
MJ
Pleil
A M
AM
Crouch
C W
CW
Hafkin
B
B
Glick
H A
HA
D000081:Acetamides / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000284:Administration, Oral; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D007902:Length of Stay; D000069349:Linezolid; D008297:Male; D016106:Methicillin Resistance; D008875:Middle Aged; D023303:Oxazolidinones / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014640:Vancomycin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D000081:Acetamides; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D023303:Oxazolidinones; D014640:Vancomycin; D000069349:Linezolid