[Treatment of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus with linezolid in paediatric hospitals].
OBJECTIVE
To describe the use of linezolid in vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus infections in a paediatric hospital.


METHODS
Retrospective, observational study of hospitalised patients at the "Juan P. Garrahan" paediatric hospital receiving linezolid for the treatment of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus, during the period between January 2002 and July 2004.


RESULTS
During 18 months, linezolid was prescribed 17 times for a total of 15 seriously ill patients. The median age was 7 years old (range: 1 month-15 years) and the median length of the treatment was 15 days, with an average hospital stay of 74 days. Infection with vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus was microbiologically documented in 11 (73.3%) patients; they all responded to treatment with linezolid with the exception of two, who died while receiving treatment. The most frequently reported adverse reactions were of a haematological nature (55.5%).


CONCLUSIONS
Linezolid was effective and moderately well tolerated for the treatment of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus in children with life-threatening infections.
Travaglianti
M
M
Servicio de Farmacia, Hospital de Pediatría Dr. Juan P. Garrahan, Buenos Aires, Argentina. monitravaglianti@yahoo.com.ar
Pérez
M
M
Sberna
N
N
Rousseau
M
M
Calle
G
G
Gómez
S
S
D000081:Acetamides / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000293:Adolescent; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000188:drug therapy; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016984:Enterococcus faecium / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D006776:Hospitals, Pediatric; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D000069349:Linezolid; D008297:Male; D023303:Oxazolidinones / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014640:Vancomycin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D020713:Vancomycin Resistance / Q000187:drug effects*
D000081:Acetamides; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D023303:Oxazolidinones; D014640:Vancomycin; D000069349:Linezolid