[Proper use of antibiotics: a prospective study on the use of linezolid in a French university hospital].
OBJECTIVE
To describe clinical use of a new antibiotic: linezolid, in a French university hospital, on a population of patients different from the one studied during the clinical trials for the marketing authorisation.


METHODS
An observational, prospective cohort study performed in patients treated by linezolid between November 2005 and June 2006 at Saint André hospital (Bordeaux University Hospital). The following data were collected: sources of infection, isolated pathogens, patient's background, antibiotherapy strategies, duration of therapy and evolution.


RESULTS
Fifty patients (intensive care, internal medicine) were included. The absence of local guidelines on proper use of linezolid led to various prescriptions as well in infections listed in the marketing authorisation: nosocomial pneumonia and ventilator associated pneumonia (48%), skin and soft tissue infections (11%), as in endocarditis (7%), intra-abdominal infections (13%), bone and joint infections (2%), catheter infections (13%) and febrile neutropenic patients (6%). The main justification for using linezolid was worsening renal dysfunction (66%), which contra indicated glycopeptides use. Isolated pathogens were for the major part staphylococcus.


CONCLUSIONS
In the context of proper use of antibiotics, it would be advisable to add new recommendations on the use of linezolid to the hospital's antibiotherapy guide which would constitute a tool for the prescribing clinicians, and to re-evaluate the impact during a second evaluation.
Duhalde
V
V
Service Pharmacie, Hôpital Saint-André, CHU de Bordeaux, 1, rue Jean-Burguet, 33075, Bordeaux Cedex, France. veronique.duhalde@yahoo.fr
Lahille
B
B
Camou
F
F
Pédeboscq
S
S
Pometan
J-P
JP
D000081:Acetamides / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000145:classification / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004696:Endocarditis / Q000188:drug therapy; D005602:France / Q000453:epidemiology; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D000069349:Linezolid; D023303:Oxazolidinones / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011014:Pneumonia / Q000188:drug therapy
D000081:Acetamides; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D023303:Oxazolidinones; D000069349:Linezolid