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JAC Advance Access originally published online on April 4, 2006
Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy 2006 57(6):1255-1256; doi:10.1093/jac/dkl126
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© The Author 2006. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oxfordjournals.org

Correspondence

Aminoglycosides in combination with a ß-lactam for the treatment of bacterial endocarditis: authors' response

Matthew E. Falagas1,2,*, Dimitrios K. Matthaiou1 and Ioannis A. Bliziotis1

1 Alfa Institute of Biomedical Sciences (AIBS), Athens Greece 2 Department of Medicine, Tufts University School of Medicine Boston, Massachusetts, USA

*Correspondence address. Alfa Institute of Biomedical Sciences (AIBS), 9 Neapoleos Street, 151 23 Marousi, Greece. Tel: +30-694-611-0000; Fax: +30-210-683-9605; E-mail: m.falagas{at}aibs.gr

Keywords: endocarditis , ß-lactams , aminoglycosides

Sir,

We thank Drs Baddour, Steckelberg and Wilson1 for the clarification regarding their recommendation for the treatment of patients with endocarditis due to viridans group streptococci and Streptococcus bovis.2 We agree with their comment. Unfortunately, recommendations about the treatment of patients with infective endocarditis, including the role of aminoglycosides even for infections due to the most common aetiological agents, are based on limited evidence. The scarcity of relevant randomized controlled trials despite the considerable morbidity and mortality associated with this infectious disease was emphasized in our article.3

More clinical research is urgently needed in this field for the investigation of therapeutic strategies that will lead to improved outcomes for patients with this, sometimes devastating, infection. Owing to the relative rarity of patients with infective endocarditis, the only way to perform well-designed and appropriately powered randomized controlled trials in this field is through the formation of multicentre collaborative research groups of scientists and clinicians with interest in improving the outcome of patients with this infection. This is an area of research where scientific medical societies may have to continue to take the initiative in organizing research efforts.

Transparency declarations

None to declare.

References

1 Baddour LM, Steckelberg JM, Wilson WR. (2006) Comment on: the role of aminoglycosides in combination with a ß-lactam for the treatment of bacterial endocarditis: a meta-analysis of comparative trials. J Antimicrob Chemother 57:1255.[Free Full Text]

2 Baddour LM, Wilson WR, Bayer AS, et al. (2005) Infective endocarditis: diagnosis, antimicrobial therapy, and management of complications: a statement for healthcare professionals from the Committee on Rheumatic Fever, Endocarditis, and Kawasaki Disease, Council on Cardiovascular Disease in the Young, and the Councils on Clinical Cardiology, Stroke, and Cardiovascular Surgery and Anesthesia, American Heart Association: endorsed by the Infectious Diseases Society of America. Circulation 111:e394–434.[Abstract/Free Full Text]

3 Falagas ME, Matthaiou DK, Bliziotis IA. (2006) The role of aminoglycosides in combination with a ß-lactam for the treatment of bacterial endocarditis: a meta-analysis of comparative trials. J Antimicrob Chemother 57:639–47.[Abstract/Free Full Text]


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This Article
Right arrow Extract Freely available
Right arrow FREE Full Text (PDF) Freely available
Right arrow All Versions of this Article:
57/6/1255-a    most recent
dkl126v1
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Right arrow Articles by Falagas, M. E.
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