Three-times weekly teicoplanin in the outpatient treatment of acute methicillin-resistant staphylococcal osteomyelitis: a pilot study

J Chemother. 2002 Feb;14(1):71-5. doi: 10.1179/joc.2002.14.1.71.

Abstract

Treatment of osteomyelitis requires prolonged hospital stay, lengthy antibiotic therapy and adequate surgical debridement. Outpatient parenteral antibiotic therapy (OPAT) is a new approach to reduce patient discomfort and hospital costs. Teicoplanin, a glycopeptide antibiotic with a long half-life (72 hours), is one of the most useful drugs for OPAT. We performed a pilot study to assess the safety and efficacy of three-times weekly teicoplanin in the treatment of methicillin-resistant (MR) acute staphylococcal osteomyelitis. Ten patients with acute post-traumatic osteomyelitis were enrolled. Pathogens were MR Staphylococcus aureus (5 patients) and MR coagulase-negative staphylococci (5 patients). After a loading dose of 400 mg b.i.d. for 3 days, patients were treated with an intravenous dose of 1000 mg on Mondays and Wednesdays and with a 1200 mg dose on Fridays. Teicoplanin trough levels were maintained within a 10 to 20 mg/L range. If hardware removal had been possible at enrollment, treatment was carried out for at least 4 weeks. If, on the contrary, hardware removal had not been possible, teicoplanin was administered as suppressive therapy until hardware removal. Treatment was successfully performed in 9 out of 10 patients, whereas in one patient only improvement was achieved. Side effects were not recorded. Three times weekly teicoplanin seems to be a valuable option in the treatment of acute MR staphylococcal osteomyelitis. Further studies are warranted in order to better define the role of this new administration schedule in this field.

MeSH terms

  • Acute Disease
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / administration & dosage*
  • Cost Savings
  • Drug Administration Schedule
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Methicillin Resistance*
  • Middle Aged
  • Osteomyelitis / drug therapy*
  • Outpatients
  • Pilot Projects
  • Staphylococcal Infections / drug therapy*
  • Teicoplanin / administration & dosage*

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Teicoplanin