title: The study of vancomycin use and its adverse reactions associated to patients of a Brazilian university hospital.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Vancomycin is an antibiotic of growing importance in the treatment of hospital infections, with particular emphasis on its value in the fight against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. However its usage profile must be evaluated to assure maximum benefit and minimum risk.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A cross-sectional retrospective study was carried out among inpatients that received vancomycin in a Brazilian quaternary hospital. The occurrence of adverse reactions reported was evaluated in medical records relating to patients taking vancomycin during a one year period. Males comprised 52% (95% CI: 41.7-60.2%) of the sample population, with a mean age of 50.6 (95% CI: 47.2-54.0) years and mean treatment period of 9.7 (95% CI: 8.0-11.5) Days. It was verified that nephrotoxicity occurred in 18.4% (95% CI: 11.3-27.5) of patients, Red man syndrome occurred in 2% (95% CI 0.2-7.2), while the occurrence of thrombocytopenia was 7.1% (95% CI: 2.9-14.2).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It may be noted that even after 50 years of use, adverse reactions associated with vancomycin continue with high frequency, presenting a public health problem, especially considering its current use in cases of multidrug resistant infections. In this context, we emphasize the importance of intensive pharmacovigilance in hospital as a surveillance tool after drug approval by the sanitary authority.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Medicamentos, Faculdade de Farmácia, UFRJ, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
authors.forename: Daniel Savignon
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Marinho
authors.forename: Gisele
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Huf
authors.forename: Bruno L A
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Ferreira
authors.forename: Helena
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Castro
authors.forename: Carlos R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Rodrigues
authors.forename: Valeria Pereira
authors.initials: VP
authors.lastname: de Sousa
authors.forename: Lúcio M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Cabral