title: Telavancin in the treatment of Staphylococcus aureus hospital-acquired and ventilator-associated pneumonia: clinical evidence and experience.
abstract: Telavancin (TLV) is a lipoglycopeptide derivative of vancomycin (VAN), which has activity against Gram-positive aerobic bacteria, and is especially effective against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Gram-positive bacteria resistant to VAN. Comparative clinical studies of TLV have demonstrated noninferiority compared with VAN in the treatment of hospital-acquired Gram-positive pneumonia, with high cure rates for TLV-treated patients with monomicrobial S. aureus infection, including isolates with reduced VAN susceptibility. The results based on the patients' clinical response were supported by supplemental post-hoc analyses of 28-day mortality. In Europe and the USA, TLV is approved as a useful alternative for patients with difficult-to-treat, hospital-acquired MRSA pneumonia when there are very few alternatives. The present article reviews TLV's pharmacological characteristics and clinical efficacy resulting from clinical trials giving a detailed picture of its properties and position in the management of hospital-acquired pneumonia.
authors.affiliation: 6 Respiratory Department, Sotiria Hospital, Mesogion 152, 11527, Athens Greecemliapikou@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Adamantia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Liapikou
authors.affiliation: 5 Respiratory Department, Sotiria Hospital, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Katerina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Dimakou
authors.affiliation: 6 Respiratory Department, Sotiria Hospital, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Toumbis
mesh_terms: D000617:Aminoglycosides / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology; D006094:Gram-Positive Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D000077427:Lipoglycopeptides; D055624:Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification; D053717:Pneumonia, Ventilator-Associated / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: D000617:Aminoglycosides; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000077427:Lipoglycopeptides; C487637:telavancin
keywords: hospital-acquired pneumonia; methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus; telavancin; vancomycin; ventilator-associated pneumonia