title: [Role of daptomycin in the treatment of infections in patients with hematological malignancies].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Bacterial infections in patients with hematological neoplasms carry high morbidity and mortality. Gram-positive microorganisms can cause more than half of the bacterial infections in patients with febrile neutropenia, especially bacteremias. Effective coverage against these infections in these hosts, especially the immunodepressed, is required.
  
  
  METHODS
  We reviewed the literature published in the last decade on infections in patients with hematological malignancies, with or without febrile neutropenia. Emphasis was placed on publications analyzing the processes caused by Gram-positive microorganisms and the management of these infections (whether bacteremic or otherwise) through traditional drugs (glycopeptides) and the new antibiotics (linezolid, tigecycline and daptomycin).
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was a notable scarcity of studies on the treatment of infections due to Gram-positive microorganisms in patients with cancer through treatment with the new antimicrobial drugs. Especially striking was the lack of comparative studies. Specifically, in the case of daptomycin, there were no randomized comparative trials in patients with febrile neutropenia, although there were observational retrospective studies or case studies [European Cubicin(®) Outcome Registry and Experience (EUCORE)] with a large number of patients (around 200) with oncological malignancies. In the three main studies, the overall favorable response rates were between 65% and 90%, with a therapeutic success rate of 85% in patients with severe febrile neutropenia. At the same time, the safety profile of daptomycin was shown to be highly favorable with good tolerability and a low rate of adverse effects (< 10% for those directly related to the antibiotic) which, on very few occasions, were severe or led to treatment withdrawal. The nephrotoxicity rate was much lower than that caused by vancomycin in historical control groups, although there were no statistically significant differences.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Daptomycin is a safe and effective therapeutic alternative in the treatment of bacterial infections due to Gram-positive microorganisms in patients with cancer, with or without neutropenia. However, further studies are required to support the use of this drug in the empirical treatment of febrile neutropenia.
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Hospital Universitario La Fe, Valencia, España. salavert_mig@gva.es
authors.forename: Miguel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Salavert
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Calabuig
mesh_terms: D000081:Acetamides / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017576:Daptomycin / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016208:Databases, Factual / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005060:Europe; D006020:Glycopeptides / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016908:Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D019337:Hematologic Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D016867:Immunocompromised Host; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced; D000069349:Linezolid; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D008911:Minocycline / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015337:Multicenter Studies as Topic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D009503:Neutropenia / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000150:complications; D023303:Oxazolidinones / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012042:Registries / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D000078304:Tigecycline; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000081:Acetamides; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D006020:Glycopeptides; D023303:Oxazolidinones; D000078304:Tigecycline; D008911:Minocycline; D000069349:Linezolid; D017576:Daptomycin