Abstract
The aim of the study presented here was to assess the efficacy and tolerability of linezolid in the treatment of orthopedic implant infections (OII). Eighty-five patients with an OII treated with linezolid were prospectively followed up for a minimum of 12 months from the end of antibiotic therapy. Outcome was evaluated in relation to the duration and type of symptoms (acute or chronic) and the retention or removal of the implant. For acute and chronic infections, the respective success rates were 100 and 92.3% when the implant was removed and 72.2 and 42.8% when it was not. The median length of linezolid treatment in acute and chronic infections was 47 and 60 days, respectively. Thrombocytopenia was observed in four (4.7%) patients and anemia in five (5.8%). The results suggest oral linezolid is an effective and well-tolerated alternative for treating OII.
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Acknowledgments
The complete list of individuals who collaborated in the study is as follows: E. Dorca (Department of Internal Medicine, Althaia Xarxa assistencial de Manresa, Manresa), V. Baños (Department of Infectious Diseases, Hospital Virgen de la Arreixaca, Murcia), A. Matamala (Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Hospital Mútua de Terrassa, Barcelona), E.G. Quetglas (Department of Infectious Diseases, Clínica Universitaria de Navarra, Pamplona), A. Moreno (Department of Microbiology, Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias, Oviedo), J.M. La Sierra (Department of Orthopaedics, Hospital Clínico Universitario de Zaragoza, Zaragoza), A. Alberte (Department of Microbiology, Hospital Clínico de Valladolid, Valladolid), B. Quintana (Department of Farmacology, Hospital de la Ribera, Valladolid), J. Flores (Infectious Diseases Unit, Internal Medicine, H. Arnau de Vilanova, Valencia), and S. García (Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Hospital Clínic of Barcelona, Barcelona).
Financial support for this study was provided by Pfizer Spain.
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Soriano, A., Gómez, J., Gómez, L. et al. Efficacy and tolerability of prolonged linezolid therapy in the treatment of orthopedic implant infections. Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis 26, 353–356 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10096-007-0289-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10096-007-0289-1