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JAC Advance Access published online on January 7, 2004

Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy, doi:10.1093/jac/dkh048
© 2004 by The British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy
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© 2004 The British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy

Original article

Linezolid versus teicoplanin in the treatment of Gram-positive infections in the critically ill: a randomized, double-blind, multicentre study

Jorge A. Cepeda 1 , Tony Whitehouse 2 , Ben Cooper 3 , Janeane Hails 2 , Karen Jones 4 , Felicia Kwaku 2 , Lee Taylor 4 , Samantha Hayman 1 , Steven Shaw 5 , Christopher Kibbler 6 , Robert Shulman 7 , Mervyn Singer 2 , and A. Peter R. Wilson 1 *

1 Department of Clinical Microbiology, University College London Hospitals, Grafton Way, London WC1E 6DB;
2 Bloomsbury Institute of Intensive Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, UCL, London;
3 Department of Clinical Microbiology, University College London Hospitals, Grafton Way, London WC1E 6DB: Department of Medical Microbiology, Royal Free Hospital, London, UK;
4 Intensive Care Unit, Royal Free Hospital, London, UK;
5 Intensive Care Unit, Royal Free Hospital, London, UK
6 Department of Medical Microbiology, Royal Free Hospital, London, UK;
7 Pharmacy Department, University College London Hospitals, Grafton Way, London WC1E 6DB;

* Corresponding author. E-mail: peter.wilson{at}uclh.org.

Received 8 May 2003 ; revised 3 November 2003 ; accepted 4 November 2003

Abstract

Objectives: Linezolid, the only commercially available oxazolidinone, is indicated for the treatment of Gram-positive infections, although little has been published specifically on its use in the critically ill. A randomized, prospective study was therefore performed to compare linezolid with the glycopeptide antibiotic, teicoplanin, for the treatment of suspected or proven Gram-positive infections in an intensive care population.

Methods: Using a double-blind, double-dummy, prospective design, patients were randomized to (i) intravenous linezolid (600 mg/12 h) plus teicoplanin dummy [one dose/12 h for three doses then every 24 h intravenously (iv)] or (ii) teicoplanin (400 mg/12 h for three doses then 400 mg/24 h iv) plus linezolid dummy (one dose/12 h iv). Other antibiotics were used in combination with the trial agents in empirical treatment. Clinical and microbiological assessments were made daily in the first week, and at 8 and 21 days after treatment.

Results: One hundred patients received linezolid plus placebo-teicoplanin, whereas 102 received teicoplanin plus placebo-linezolid. Population baseline characteristics were similar in both groups. At end of treatment, clinical success [71 (78.9%) linezolid versus 67 (72.8%) teicoplanin] and microbiological success [49 (70.0%) versus 45 (66.2%)] rates were similar, as were adverse effects, intensive care unit mortality, and success rates at short- and long-term follow-up. Linezolid was superior at initial clearance of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) colonization (end of treatment, 51.1% versus 18.6%, P = 0.002). Two MRSA isolates showed reduced susceptibility to teicoplanin.

Conclusions: Linezolid has similar safety and efficacy to teicoplanin in treating Gram-positive infections in the critically ill. Short-term MRSA clearance achieved with linezolid suggests better skin and mucosal penetration.

Keywords: bloodstream infections, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, MRSA, methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus, MSSA
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