The effectiveness and safety of oral linezolid for the primary and secondary treatment of osteomyelitis

The pharmacokinetic profile of oral linezolid makes it an attractive alternative for the treatment of osteomyelitis. Few studies have described the efficacy of linezolid in the treatment of osteomyelitis. A retrospective, observational analysis was conducted at Edward Hines, Jr. VA Hospital. Patients who received oral linezolid from June 2000 to December 2002 were identified from pharmacy records. Forty-two patients who received oral linezolid for osteomyelitis at our institution were identified. Only patients who had received at least six weeks of linezolid therapy were evaluated for clinical effectiveness. Patients were also evaluated for adverse drug reactions due to linezolid. The clinical cure rate was 55% for the 20 patients who received at least six weeks of therapy. Adverse events included gastrointestinal disturbances (15%), thrombocytopenia (10%), anemia (10%), neutropenia (5%) and rash (5%). The authors conclude that oral linezolid is an alterative to intravenous antibiotics for the treatment of osteomyelitis.