title: Vancomycin in combination with other antibiotics for the treatment of serious methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infections.
abstract: Vancomycin is often combined with a second antibiotic, most often rifampin or gentamicin, for the treatment of serious methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infections. Published data from experiments evaluating these and other vancomycin-based combinations, both in vitro and in animal models of infection, often yield inconsistent results, however. More importantly, no data are available from randomized clinical trials to support their use, and some regimens are known to have potential toxicities. Clinicians should carefully reconsider the use of vancomycin-based combination therapies for the treatment of infection due to methicillin-resistant S. aureus.
authors.affiliation: Division of Infectious Disease and Geographic Medicine, Department of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, CA, USA. polishmd@stanford.edu
authors.forename: Stan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Deresinski
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005839:Gentamicins / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D055624:Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D012293:Rifampin / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014640:Vancomycin / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D005839:Gentamicins; D014640:Vancomycin; D012293:Rifampin