title: Linezolid reduces length of stay and duration of intravenous treatment compared with vancomycin for complicated skin and soft tissue infections due to suspected or proven methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).
abstract: We compared the health outcomes in patients treated with linezolid or vancomycin for complicated skin and soft tissue infections (cSSTIs). This analysis is part of a randomised, open-label, multinational trial involving 1200 adult patients hospitalised with cSSTIs due to suspected or proven methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Subjects received linezolid 600 mg intravenous (i.v.) or oral, or vancomycin 1g i.v. every 12 h. A test-of-cure was assessed at 7 days post therapy. Compared with vancomycin, linezolid treatment was associated with significantly shorter length of stay (all P < 0.01), decreased i.v. antibiotic treatment duration (all P < 0.0001) and higher discharge rates (all P < 0.05). Thus, linezolid has the potential to reduce medical resource use for the treatment of cSSTIs.
authors.affiliation: Boston VA Health Care System and Boston University, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Kamal M F
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Itani
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Weigelt
authors.forename: Jim Z
authors.initials: JZ
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Sandeep
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Duttagupta
mesh_terms: D000081:Acetamides / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000284:Administration, Oral; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000569:Americas; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001208:Asia; D005060:Europe; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D007902:Length of Stay; D000069349:Linezolid; D008297:Male; D008712:Methicillin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016106:Methicillin Resistance; D008875:Middle Aged; D009520:New Zealand; D023303:Oxazolidinones / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018461:Soft Tissue Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D013207:Staphylococcal Skin Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014640:Vancomycin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000081:Acetamides; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D023303:Oxazolidinones; D014640:Vancomycin; D000069349:Linezolid; D008712:Methicillin