Daptomycin Versus Other Antimicrobial Agents for the Treatment of Skin and Soft Tissue Infections: A Meta-Analysis

WHO's essential medicines and AWaRe: recommendations on first- and second-choice antibiotics for empiric treatment of clinical infections

The WHO Model List of Essential Medicines (EML) prioritizes medicines that have significant global public health value. The EML can also deliver important messages on appropriate medicine use. Since 2017, in response to the growing challenge of antimicrobial resistance, antibiotics on the EML have been reviewed and categorized into three groups: Access, Watch, and Reserve, leading to a new categorization called AWaRe. These categories were developed taking into account the impact of different antibiotics and classes on antimicrobial resistance and the implications for their appropriate use. The 2023 AWaRe classification provides empirical guidance on 41 essential antibiotics for over 30 clinical infections targeting both the primary health care and hospital facility setting. A further 257 antibiotics not included on the EML have been allocated an AWaRe group for stewardship and monitoring purposes. This article describes the development of AWaRe, focussing on the clinical evidence base that guided the selection of Access, Watch, or Reserve antibiotics as first and second choices for each infection. The overarching objective was to offer a tool for optimizing the quality of global antibiotic prescribing and reduce inappropriate use by encouraging the use of Access antibiotics (or no antibiotics) where appropriate. This clinical evidence evaluation and subsequent EML recommendations are the basis for the AWaRe antibiotic book and related smartphone applications. By providing guidance on antibiotic prioritization, AWaRe aims to facilitate the revision of national lists of essential medicines, update national prescribing guidelines, and supervise antibiotic use. Adherence to AWaRe would extend the effectiveness of current antibiotics while helping countries expand access to these life-saving medicines for the benefit of current and future patients, health professionals, and the environment.

Role of Daptomycin in Cutaneous Wound Healing: A Narrative Review

Daptomycin is active against Gram-positive bacteria, including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and the on-label indications for its use include complicated skin and skin structure infections (cSSSI). We performed a narrative review of the literature with the aim to evaluate the role of daptomycin in the skin wound healing process, proposing our point of view on the possible association with other molecules that could improve the skin healing process. Daptomycin may improve wound healing in MRSA-infected burns, surgical wounds, and diabetic feet, but further studies in humans with histological examination are needed. In the future, the combination of daptomycin with other molecules with synergistic action, such as vitamin E and derivates, IB-367, RNA III-inhibiting peptide (RIP), and palladium nanoflowers, may help to improve wound healing and overcome forms of antibiotic resistance.

Current international and national guidelines for managing skin and soft tissue infections

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Skin and soft tissue infections account for a significant percentage of both community and nosocomial infections. Several nosological entities are included in this concept. However, there is a very scarce body of doctrine for their treatment based on randomised trials. Therefore, we considered it necessary to review current treatment guidelines to bring new recommendations and improvements to our colleagues. In this review of recent literature, we identified updated guidelines in this area by searching the databases PubMed, evidence-based medicine online, York University reviewers group, Cochrane, MBE-Trip and Sumsearch using the terms: soft tissue infection, therapy, guideline.

RECENT FINDINGS

Developments focus on using new antimicrobials and on the prescription of shorter antibiotic treatment courses.

SUMMARY

With the development of new drugs and the current evidence of their use, there is a need to refine the appropriate drug's decision-making. Drugs with a long half-life, which allows weekly administration, can reduce hospital admission and length of stay with fewer healthcare resources. Shorter courses of antibiotics are recommended. The role of stewardship programmes will continue to expand. The surgical indication and its value are evident in many patients. Therefore, management should rely on a collaborative group with experience in this disease.

WSES/GAIS/WSIS/SIS-E/AAST global clinical pathways for patients with skin and soft tissue infections

Skin and soft-tissue infections (SSTIs) encompass a variety of pathological conditions that involve the skin and underlying subcutaneous tissue, fascia, or muscle, ranging from simple superficial infections to severe necrotizing infections.

Together, the World Society of Emergency Surgery, the Global Alliance for Infections in Surgery, the Surgical Infection Society-Europe, The World Surgical Infection Society, and the American Association for the Surgery of Trauma have jointly completed an international multi-society document to promote global standards of care in SSTIs guiding clinicians by describing reasonable approaches to the management of SSTIs.

An extensive non-systematic review was conducted using the PubMed and MEDLINE databases, limited to the English language. The resulting evidence was shared by an international task force with different clinical backgrounds.

Surgical Infection Society 2020 Updated Guidelines on the Management of Complicated Skin and Soft Tissue Infections

Background: The Surgical Infection Society (SIS) Guidelines for the treatment of complicated skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs) were published in October 2009 in Surgical Infections. The purpose of this project was to provide a succinct update on the earlier guidelines based on an additional decade of data. Methods: We reviewed the previous guidelines eliminating bite wounds and diabetic foot infections including their associated references. Relevant articles on the topic of complicated SSTIs from 2008-2020 were reviewed and graded individually. Comparisons were then made between the old and the new graded recommendations with review of the older references by two authors when there was disparity between the grades. Results: The majority of new studies addressed antimicrobial options and duration of therapy particularly in complicated abscesses. There were fewer updated studies on diagnosis and specific operative interventions. Many of the topics addressed in the original guidelines had no new literature to evaluate. Conclusions: Most recommendations remain unchanged from the original guidelines with the exception of increased support for adjuvant antimicrobial therapy after drainage of complex abscess and increased data for the use of alternative antimicrobial agents.

Daptomycin treatment in Gram-positive vascular graft infections

BACKGROUND

Daptomycin is a bactericidal antibiotic approved for the treatment of skin and soft tissue infections and right-side endocarditis. However, there is a lack of published data outlining its usefulness in vascular graft infections (VGI). The aim of this study was to describe the clinical experience of daptomycin use in the treatment of VGI caused by Gram-positive bacteria.

METHODS

This was a retrospective cohort study of patients diagnosed with VGI receiving daptomycin at a tertiary care hospital during the period January 2010 to December 2012.

RESULTS

Of a total 1066 consecutive patients who had undergone vascular grafts (VG), 25 were diagnosed with VGI. Fifteen of these patients (11 prosthetic VG, three autologous VG, one both types) received daptomycin (median dose 6.7mg/kg/day, range 4.1-7.1mg/kg/day; median age 69 years, range 45-83 years; 80% male). The infected bypass was removed in 13 cases. The most common reason for selecting daptomycin was kidney failure (53%). The Gram-positive organisms isolated were coagulase-negative Staphylococcus (n=10), Staphylococcus aureus (n=3) (two methicillin-resistant S. aureus), Enterococcus faecium (n=2), and Enterococcus faecalis (n=1). The mean follow-up was 69 months (interquartile range 48-72 months). Ten patients (66.7%) achieved complete healing of the VGI. A recurrence of the infection was observed in 100% of patients in whom the bypass was not removed. Among patients who did not achieve complete healing, one needed a supracondylar amputation and one died as a consequence of infection. Five patients received treatment with rifampicin in addition to daptomycin and they were all cured.

CONCLUSIONS

The use of daptomycin and surgery for Gram-positive VGI was effective and well tolerated, and this may be a good alternative for the treatment of VGI in patients with peripheral arterial disease in whom renal insufficiency is common.

2018 WSES/SIS-E consensus conference: recommendations for the management of skin and soft-tissue infections

Skin and soft-tissue infections (SSTIs) encompass a variety of pathological conditions that involve the skin and underlying subcutaneous tissue, fascia, or muscle, ranging from simple superficial infections to severe necrotizing infections. SSTIs are a frequent clinical problem in surgical departments. In order to clarify key issues in the management of SSTIs, a task force of experts met in Bertinoro, Italy, on June 28, 2018, for a specialist multidisciplinary consensus conference under the auspices of the World Society of Emergency Surgery (WSES) and the Surgical Infection Society Europe (SIS-E). The multifaceted nature of these infections has led to a collaboration among general and emergency surgeons, intensivists, and infectious disease specialists, who have shared these clinical practice recommendations.

Comparative efficacy and safety of antibiotics used to treat acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections: Results of a network meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

This NMA compared the efficacy and safety between IV antibiotics that are used in the current standard of care for managing adult patients (≥18 years of age) with ABSSSI.

METHODS

Comparators were chosen on the basis that both direct and indirect comparisons between the interventions of interest could be performed. Outcomes of the analysis were selected on the basis that they are frequently measured and reported in trials involving ABSSSI patients, and only published randomised control trials of any size and duration and with any blinding status were eligible for inclusion in the analysis. The NMA was performed using both a fixed-effect and random-effect model. Efficacy-related endpoints were (1) clinical treatment success and (2) microbiological success at TOC visit. Safety-related endpoints were (1) number of discontinuations due to AEs/SAEs, (2) patients experiencing AEs, (3) patients experiencing SAEs and (4) all-cause mortality.

RESULTS

Study interventions included daptomycin, dalbavancin, linezolid and tigecycline. Vancomycin was the comparator in all studies, except in two where it was linezolid and teicoplanin. The NMA showed that irrespective of patient subgroup, the likelihood of clinical and microbiological success with dalbavancin was statistically similar to the comparators studied. No statistically significant differences were observed between dalbavancin and any of the comparators in the discontinuation rate due to AEs/SAEs. In contrast, dalbavancin was associated with a significantly lower likelihood of experiencing an AE than linezolid, a significantly lower likelihood of experiencing a SAE than vancomycin and daptomycin, and a significantly lower risk of all-cause mortality than vancomycin, linezolid and tigecycline.

CONCLUSION

Dalbavancin affords a promising, new alternative IV antimicrobial agent which is as effective as traditional therapies, but with the added benefit of enabling clinicians to treat patients with ABSSSI in different organisational settings. Notwithstanding, any introduction of an effective treatment with a differential mode of administration into healthcare systems must be followed by a change in clinical practice and patient management in order to fully achieve desirable economic outcomes.

Daptomycin for Complicated Skin Infections: A Randomized Trial

BACKGROUND

Complicated skin and skin structure infections (cSSSI) are common in children. Due to safety and resistance issues with recommended agents, new treatment options would be advantageous.

METHODS

Multicenter, evaluator-blinded clinical trial. Patients 1 to 17 years old with cSSSI caused by Gram-positive pathogens were randomized 2:1 to intravenous daptomycin or standard-of-care (SOC) treatment for ≤14 days. Daptomycin was administered once daily with dosing by patient age: 12 to 17 years, 5 mg/kg; 7 to 11 years, 7 mg/kg; 2 to 6 years, 9 mg/kg; 12 to 23 months, 10 mg/kg. The primary objective was to evaluate daptomycin safety. The secondary objective was to assess the efficacy of daptomycin compared with SOC. The intent-to-treat (ITT) population consisted of all randomized patients with any dose of study drug.

RESULTS

The ITT population comprised 257 daptomycin and 132 SOC patients (primarily clindamycin or vancomycin); 35% had confirmed methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. The most common adverse events were diarrhea (7% daptomycin, 5% SOC) and increased creatine phosphokinase (6% daptomycin, 5% SOC). The proportions of safety population patients with treatment-related adverse events were similar between the daptomycin (14%) and SOC (17%) groups. Clinical success rates (blinded evaluator-assessed complete/partial resolution of cSSSI signs and symptoms 7-14 days after end-of-treatment) in the ITT population were also similar for the daptomycin (91%) and SOC groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Once-daily daptomycin was well tolerated, with safety and efficacy comparable to SOC in children/adolescents with cSSSI caused by Gram-positive pathogens, including community-acquired methicillin-resistant S aureus.

Efficacy and safety of daptomycin for skin and soft tissue infections: a systematic review with trial sequential analysis

Background

Skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs) are significant indications for antibiotic treatment. Daptomycin, a novel antibiotic, has been registered and licensed to be used in the treatment of these infections. However, its efficacy and safety remain controversial.

Objective

The objective of this study was to conduct a systematic review with trial sequential analysis (TSA) to evaluate the efficacy and safety of daptomycin for the treatment of SSTIs and to analyze whether the available sample size has been large enough and is conclusive.

Methods

PubMed, the Cochrane Library, and EMBASE were searched for published randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that compared daptomycin with other antibiotics in adult patients with SSTIs up to February 2016.

Results

This meta-analysis included eight randomized controlled trials (n=2,002). There was no difference in either the clinical success rate (intention-to-treat population: relative risk [RR] =1.04, 95% confidence interval [CI] =0.99–1.10, P=0.12; clinically evaluable population: RR =1.00, 95% CI =0.97–1.04, P=0.82) or the microbiological success rate (RR =1.00, 95% CI =0.95–1.06, P=0.92) between the daptomycin and comparator groups for treating SSTIs, which was confirmed by TSA. Compared with vancomycin, daptomycin exhibited no advantage in increasing the clinical success rate (RR =1.03, 95% CI =0.95–1.13, P=0.47), and this was also confirmed by TSA. All-cause mortality, overall treatment-related adverse events, and creatine phosphokinase events were similar between these two groups.

Conclusion

Daptomycin and comparator drugs are equally efficacious with regard to clinical and microbiological success for patients with SSTIs, and TSA showed that no additional randomized controlled trials are required. Although daptomycin is a good alternative when other antibiotics are contraindicated for patients with SSTIs and it can serve as a first-line treatment for SSTIs, clinicians should be aware of potential adverse events, such as daptomycin-induced acute eosinophilic pneumonia and creatine phosphokinase, when treating patients with daptomycin.

Comparative efficacy of antibiotics for the treatment of acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections (ABSSSI): a systematic review and network meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

The objective was to conduct a systematic review and network meta-analysis (NMA) of existing treatments for ABSSSI focusing on the novel lipoglycopeptide oritavancin.

METHODS

EMBASE, MEDLINE, MEDLINE in Process, CENTRAL (Cochrane), and select conferences were searched for randomized controlled trials investigating antimicrobial agents for the treatment of ABSSSI. NMA was used to estimate the odds ratios of the Test-Of-Cure (TOC) and Early Clinical Response (ECR) outcomes for treatments relative to vancomycin in the ITT populations. Sub-group analyses in MRSA and MSSA populations were conducted for TOC; sensitivity analyses investigated the use of the clinically evaluable (CE) populations and the restriction to trials following the recent FDA guidelines for clinical trials.

RESULTS

The systematic review identified 52 trials. The most commonly investigated treatments were vancomycin and linezolid; most trials reported TOC, but not ECR. The posterior mean and 95% credible intervals for odds ratios of TOC for antimicrobial agents relative to vancomycin were: linezolid (1.55; 0.91-2.57), daptomycin (2.18; 0.90-5.42), and oritavancin 1200 mg (1.06; 0.80-1.43). The odds ratio of ECR for oritavancin 1200 mg was 1.02 (0.23-4.33). In the MRSA sub-group the odds ratios relative to vancomycin for TOC were: linezolid (1.55; 0.96-2.46), daptomycin (0.74; 0.13-3.66), and oritavancin 1200 mg (0.94; 0.44-2.02). In the MSSA sub-group they were linezolid (1.36; 0.15-13.34) and oritavancin 1200 mg (0.82; 0.08-7.83). These results were robust to the sensitivity analyses.

CONCLUSIONS

This NMA provides a unified framework for the comparison of all available antimicrobial agents used in the treatment of ABSSSI and is the first to assess the ECR end-point. The results suggest equivalence of clinical efficacy between vancomycin, daptomycin, linezolid, and novel antimicrobial agents including oritavancin for the treatment of ABSSSI at TOC. The wide uncertainty margins indicate the heterogeneity of the available evidence and the need for further research.

World Society of Emergency Surgery (WSES) guidelines for management of skin and soft tissue infections

Skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs) encompass a variety of pathological conditions ranging from simple superficial infections to severe necrotizing soft tissue infections. Necrotizing soft tissue infections (NSTIs) are potentially life-threatening infections of any layer of the soft tissue compartment associated with widespread necrosis and systemic toxicity. Successful management of NSTIs involves prompt recognition, timely surgical debridement or drainage, resuscitation and appropriate antibiotic therapy. A worldwide international panel of experts developed evidence-based guidelines for management of soft tissue infections. The multifaceted nature of these infections has led to a collaboration among surgeons, intensive care and infectious diseases specialists, who have shared these guidelines, implementing clinical practice recommendations.

Using daptomycin in hospitalised patients with cSSTI caused by Staphylococcus aureus has an impact on costs

BACKGROUND

The aim was to assess the cost impact of daptomycin compared to vancomycin treatment in patients hospitalised for complicated skin and soft-tissue infection (cSSTI) with suspected methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infection in the UK.

METHODS

A decision model was developed to estimate the costs associated with cSSTI treatment. Data on efficacy, treatment duration and early discharge from published clinical trials were used, with data gaps on standard clinical practice being filled by means of clinician interviews.

RESULTS

Total health-care costs per patient were GBP 6,214 and GBP 6,491 for daptomycin and vancomycin, respectively. A sensitivity analysis suggested that modifying the parameters within a reasonable range does not impact on the conclusion that the higher cost of daptomycin is likely to be offset by lower costs of monitoring and hospitalisation.

CONCLUSIONS

This study demonstrates that daptomycin not only provides an alternative treatment for multiple resistant infections, but may also reduce National Health Service costs.

The safety and efficacy of daptomycin versus other antibiotics for skin and soft-tissue infections: a meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials

OBJECTIVE

Daptomycin, a cyclic lipopeptide that exhibits rapid, concentration-dependent bactericidal activity in vitro against a broad spectrum of Gram-positive pathogens, has now, since 2003, been approved in more than 70 countries and regions to treat skin and soft-tissue infections (SSTIs). The purpose of this meta-analysis was to compare the safety and efficacy of daptomycin with other antibiotics, especially with vancomycin which has long been considered the standard therapy for complicated SSTIs.

DESIGN

Meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials (RCTs).

DATA SOURCES

We thoroughly searched PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Central to identify relevant RCTs. Six RCTs with a total of 1710 patients were included in this meta-analysis.

RESULTS

The results demonstrated that the efficacy of daptomycin was at par with or maybe better than other first-line antibiotics for treating SSTIs as shown by the OR for clinical success (OR=1.05, 95% CI 0.84 to 1.31, p=0.65, I(2)=0%); daptomycin versus vancomycin subgroup (OR=1.19, 95% CI 0.77 to 1.83, p=0.43, I(2)=0%); overall microbiological success (OR=1.05, 95% CI 0.61 to 1.79, p=0.86, I(2)=42%); microbiological success of daptomycin versus comparators for Staphylococcus aureus (SA, OR=1.05, 95% CI 0.61 to 2.60, p=0.53, I(2)=47%), for methicillin-resistant S. aureus (OR=0.90, 95% CI 0.77 to 1.06, p=0.20, I(2)=56%). However, daptomycin tended to have a similar treatment-related adverse events (AEs) incidence in comparison with other antibiotics (OR=1.06, 95% CI 0.71 to 1.59, p=0.76, I(2)=41%). The trend showed that daptomycin might cause less discontinuation due to AEs and death compared with other first-line antibiotics (OR=0.71, 95% CI 0.46 to 1.10, p=0.12, I(2)=11%). Significantly more patients in the daptomyicn group had creatine phosphokinase elevation than those in the control group; however, it could be reversed when the therapy ended (OR=1.95, 95% CI 1.04 to 3.65, p=0.04, I(2)=0).

CONCLUSIONS

This meta-analysis demonstrated that the safety and efficacy of daptomycin was not inferior to that of other first-line drugs, and daptomycin tended to exhibit superior efficacy when compared with vancomycin or with comparators for SA infections; nevertheless, more high-quality RCTs are needed to draw a more credible conclusion.

The impact of initial antibiotic therapy (linezolid, vancomycin, daptomycin) on hospital length of stay for complicated skin and soft tissue infections

Background

Empiric therapy of inpatient skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs) generally require methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) coverage. Limited data are available to directly compare the effect of initial antibiotic choice on treatment outcomes and length of stay (LOS).

Objective

To assess potential differences in length of hospital stay when inpatients with complex skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs) were initially treated with either vancomycin, linezolid, or daptomycin.

Methods

A retrospective review of 219 patients diagnosed with inpatient SSTI who received linezolid, vancomycin, or daptomycin for >48 hours was performed. Data collected included demographics, comorbidities, microbiologic/laboratory data, additional management (surgical, non-study antibiotics), hospital LOS, treatment outcome and morbidity/mortality.

Results

The three groups evaluated were linezolid (n = 45), vancomycin (n = 90) daptomycin (n = 84). There was no difference between the three groups with respect to gender, age, comorbidities, leukocytosis, fever, antibiotics prior to admission, site of infection culture results and surgical intervention. One death was recorded, not associated with diagnosis of SSTI. No significant difference in LOS was found (P = 0.525) between the 3 groups. The mean LOS in entire cohort was 4.5 days (SD ± 2.5); thirty patients had prolonged LOS for non-SSTI reasons; reanalyzing the data without these 30 patients did not produce any difference in the mean LOS between the 3 groups. Switching vancomycin just prior to discharge to facilitate outpatient therapy was common but did not impact LOS.

Conclusions

No difference was detected in hospital length of stay with respect to the initial choice of antibiotic (linezolid, vancomycin, or daptomycin) for SSTI. The three antibiotic regimens were equally effective in treating SSTIs as judged by LOS, irrespective of age, gender, comorbidities or baseline severity of SSTI. Given the large standard deviation in LOS, this result should be confirmed by larger studies.

Current use of daptomycin in cardiac surgery and postoperative intensive care

Infections due to multidrug-resistant pathogens have an increasing impact on patients undergoing cardiac surgery. Preoperative infections, such as endocarditis, and postoperative infections, including wound and device infection, influence patient outcomes. Special interest needs to be taken in patients admitted to cardiac surgical intensive care units, as these patients are at high risk for infections, particularly nosocomial pneumonia, catheter-related and wound infections. The increasing numbers of infections due to Gram-positive multidrug-resistant pathogens underline the necessity for newer antibiotics with bactericidal effects and a more favorable profile of side effects. Daptomycin, a lipopeptide antimicrobial agent with bactericide activity against Gram-positive organisms, has been successfully used in the treatment of complicated infections due to Gram-positive multidrug-resistant pathogens, especially regarding endocarditis, wound infections, device and catheter-related infections in intensive care units. In this review, the authors will summarize therapeutic potential of daptomycin in cardiac surgery and postoperative intensive care.

Most meta-analyses of drug interventions have narrow scopes and many focus on specific agents

OBJECTIVE

To assess the extent to which meta-analysis publications of drugs and biologics focus on specific named agents or even only a single agent, and identify characteristics associated with such focus.

STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING

We evaluated 499 articles with meta-analyses published in 2010 and estimated how many did not cover all the available comparisons of tested interventions for a given condition (not all-inclusive); focused on specific named agent(s), or focused strictly on comparisons of only one specific active agent vs. placebo/no treatment or different doses/schedules.

RESULTS

Of 499 eligible articles, 403 (80.8%) were not all-inclusive, 214 (42.9%) covered only specific named agent(s), and 74 (14.8%) examined only comparisons with one active agent vs. placebo/no treatment or different doses/schedules. Only 39 articles (7.8%) covered all possible indications for the examined agent(s). After adjusting for type of treatment/field, focus on specific named agent(s) was associated with publication in journal venues (odds ratio [OR]: 1.95; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.17-3.26) vs. Cochrane, industry sponsoring (OR: 3.94; 95% CI: 1.66-10.66), and individual patient data analyses (OR: 6.59; 95% CI: 2.24-19.39). Individual patient data analyses primarily (29/34) focused on specific named agent(s).

CONCLUSION

The scope of meta-analysis publications frequently is narrow and shaped to serve particular agents.

Diagnosis and management of skin and soft-tissue infections (SSTI): a literature review and consensus statement on behalf of the Italian Society of Infectious Diseases and International Society of Chemotherapy

Skin and soft-tissue infections (SSTIs) are among the most common bacterial infections, posing considerable diagnostic and therapeutic challenges and resulting in significant morbidity and mortality among patients as well as increased healthcare costs. eight members of the SSTI working group of the Italian Society of infectious Diseases prepared a draft of the statements, grading the quality of each piece of evidence after a careful review of the current literature using MEDLINE database and their own clinical experience. Statements were graded for their strength and quality using a system based on the one adopted by the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA). The manuscript was successively reviewed by seven members of the SSTI working group of the international Society of Chemotherapy, and ultimately re-formulated by all e xperts. the microbiological and clinical aspects together with diagnostic features were considered for uncomplicated and complicated SSTIs. Antimicrobial therapy was considered as well -both empirical and targeted to methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and/or other main pathogens.

Continuous versus intermittent infusion of vancomycin for the treatment of Gram-positive infections: systematic review and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVES

To summarize available evidence on the effect of continuous infusion (CoI) of vancomycin compared with intermittent infusion (InI) in adult patients with Gram-positive infections.

METHODS

MEDLINE, EMBASE and Cochrane databases were searched. Randomized clinical trials (RCTs) and observational studies that comparatively assessed CoI and InI of vancomycin in terms of mortality, clinical cure, toxicity rates and serum drug exposure [trough concentration (C(min)) for InI and steady-state concentration (C(ss)) for CoI; area under the curve at 24 h (AUC(24)) for both] were included. Meta-analysis was conducted combining and analysing the relative risk (RR) and computing a summary RR of the effects with 95% confidence interval (CI). The standardized mean difference was calculated for continuous outcomes. The I(2) test was calculated to assess heterogeneity across studies.

RESULTS

One RCT and five observational studies were included in the analysis. Compared with InI, CoI of vancomycin was associated with a significantly lower risk of nephrotoxicity (RR 0.6, 95% CI 0.4-0.9, P = 0.02; I(2)= 0). Overall mortality was not different between the two groups (RR 1.03, 95% CI 0.7-1.6, P = 0.9; I(2)= 0).

CONCLUSIONS

Our meta-analysis suggests that administration of vancomycin for the treatment of Gram-positive infections by CoI is associated with a significantly lower risk of nephrotoxicity when compared with InI of the drug. RCTs are needed to define the impact on mortality rate and on the pharmacodynamic activity in terms of AUC/MIC ratio.

Cutaneous community-acquired and hospital-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus

The clinical presentation of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection ranges from asymptomatic colonization to cutaneous and invasive involvement. This review discusses the cutaneous presentations of community-acquired MRSA (CA-MRSA) and hospital-acquired MRSA (HA-MRSA) that one may encounter in the hospital or outpatient setting. Cutaneous CA-MRSA and HA-MRSA are often clinically indistinguishable, although they have different epidemiologic profiles and virulence factors. Bacterial culture is necessary for diagnosis and guides treatment, as infection with CA-MRSA and HA-MRSA require distinct clinical management. Guidelines for surgical interventions and antibiotic treatment of CA-MRSA and HA-MRSA will be discussed. Strategies for MRSA decolonization and prevention of further spread will also be reviewed.

Cost-effectiveness analysis of linezolid, daptomycin, and vancomycin in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus: complicated skin and skin structure infection using Bayesian methods for evidence synthesis

BACKGROUND

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) complicated skin and skin structure infection (cSSSI) is a prominent infection encountered in hospital and outpatient settings that is associated with high resource use for the health-care system.

OBJECTIVE

A decision analytic (DA) model was developed to evaluate the cost-effectiveness analysis (CEA) of linezolid, daptomycin, and vancomycin in MRSA cSSSI.

METHODS

Bayesian methods for evidence synthesis were used to generate efficacy and safety parameters for a DA model using published clinical trials. CEA was done from the US health-care perspective. Efficacy was defined as a successfully treated patient at the test of cure without any adverse reaction. Primary outcome was the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio between linezolid and vancomycin, daptomycin and vancomycin, and linezolid and daptomycin in MRSA cSSSI. Univariate and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were performed to test the robustness of the model.

RESULTS

The total direct costs of linezolid, daptomycin, and vancomycin were $18,057, $20,698, and $23,671, respectively. The cost-effectiveness ratios for linezolid, daptomycin, and vancomycin were $37,604, $44,086, and $52,663 per successfully treated patient, respectively. Linezolid and daptomycin were dominant strategies compared to vancomycin. However, linezolid was dominant when compared to daptomycin. The model was sensitive to the duration of daptomycin and linezolid treatment.

CONCLUSION

Linezolid and daptomycin are potentially cost-effective based on the assumptions of the DA model; however, linezolid appears to be more cost-effective compared to daptomycin and vancomycin for MRSA cSSSIs.

Complicated skin and soft tissue infections: literature review of evidence for and experience with daptomycin

Skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs) are the second most common infection encountered in hospitals. Management decisions have become increasingly complex due to the prevalence of resistant pathogens, the wide array of licensed antimicrobials and the availability of potent oral agents and of out-patient parenteral antibiotic therapy. Daptomycin is one of the newer therapeutic agents licensed for complex SSTI management. Rapid cidality, good soft tissue penetration, once daily IV bolus administration and activity against resistant Gram-positive infections make daptomycin an attractive option both in hospitalized and community treated patients. A comprehensive review of the evidence for and experience with daptomycin and its use in SSTIs is presented.

Treatment of infections caused by antimicrobial-resistant gram-positive bacteria

An increasing proportion of Staphylococcus aureus infections are caused by methicillin-resistant S aureus. Treatment of infections caused by this organism is challenging, especially because therapy with vancomycin, the traditional antibiotic of choice for methicillin-resistant S aureus infections, is associated with an increasing frequency of treatment failure, and vancomycin insensitive and vancomycin-resistant strains have emerged. In addition, Enterococcus sp. isolated from human infections are increasingly resistant to multiple antimicrobial agents. Newer drugs available for treatment of resistant Gram-positive bacterial infections in the United States include linezolid, daptomycin, tigecycline and telavancin. The precise role for these newer agents is still evolving. Organisms resistant to each of these antimicrobials have emerged. New drugs in development include cephalosporins and carbapenems with MRSA activity.