Linezolid eradicates MRSA better than vancomycin from surgical-site infections

Background: The purpose of this analysis was to compare the efficacy of linezolid versus vancomycin in patients with suspected or proven gram-positive methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) surgical-site infections. Methods: An open-label, randomized, comparator-controlled, multicenter, multinational study was conducted in hospitalized patients. Patients were randomized 1: 1 to receive linezolid 600 mg (intravenous [IV] or oral) every 12 hours (n = 66) or vancomycin I g every 12 hours IV (n = 69) for 7 to 21 days. Patients were assessed at the test-of-cure (TOC) visit, 7 days after completing therapy. Results: Clinical success at TOC was documented in similar proportions of patients treated with linezolid or vancomycin. Of those with MRSA isolated, significantly more patients who received linezolid compared with those who received vancomycin were microbiologically cured (87% vs 48%, respectively; 95% confidence interval 16.51 to 60.27; P = 0.0022. Conclusion: Intravenous or oral linezolid was well tolerated and superior to vancomycin in treating patients with MRSA-infected surgical-site infections. (C) 2004 Excerpta Medica Inc. All rights reserved.