Glycopeptides have been considered the antimicrobials of choice for serious meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and meticillin-resistant coagulase-negative staphylococci (MR-CoNS) infections for several years. Daptomycin is a new option for the treatment of these infections, including those exhibiting reduced susceptibility to glycopeptides. The aim of this study was to compare glycopeptides and daptomycin for the treatment of infections caused by MRSA or MR-CoNS. Data for 106 patients with bloodstream infections (bacteraemia or infective endocarditis) or skin and soft-tissue infections (SSTIs) were retrospectively reviewed, of which 43 were treated with daptomycin (DAP group) and 63 were treated with vancomycin or teicoplanin (GLYCO group). Patients included in the two comparison groups were homogeneous in terms of age, risk factors and clinical severity. Aetiology was mainly represented by MRSA in both groups, followed by various species of MR-CoNS. Daptomycin was used more frequently in patients with central venous catheter-associated bacteraemia or pacemaker-associated infection. Patients with SSTIs included in the GLYCO group had a longer mean duration of antibiotic therapy (18.2 days vs. 14.6 days; P=0.009) and a longer mean length of hospital stay (28.2 days vs. 19.6 days; P=0.01) compared with those included in the DAP group. A longer mean duration of antibiotic therapy was also observed in patients with bloodstream infections receiving glycopeptide therapy (25.6 days vs. 18 days; P=0.004). In conclusion, the good clinical efficacy of daptomycin is associated with a more rapid resolution of the clinical syndrome and a reduced length of hospitalisation. This latter aspect may have important pharmacoeconomic implications, promoting the use of daptomycin in the clinical setting.
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