Impact of empirical-therapy selection on outcomes of intravenous drug users with infective endocarditis caused by methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus

This study compares beta-lactam and vancomycin among intravenous drug users with infective endocarditis caused by methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus. Patients who received vancomycin had higher infection-related mortality, even if they were switched to beta-lactam once culture results became available; this relationship persisted after logistic regression analysis controlling for clinical characteristics.