Objective: Infective endocarditis (IE) carries a high risk of cardiac morbidity and mortality, despite advances in the contemporary armamentarium. Along with the development of antibiotic resistant strains, research focusing on the efficacy of novel agents other than standard antibiotic regimens continues. Daptomycin, one of these antibiotics, is approved for the treatment of Staphylococcus bacteremia and right-sided endocarditis. This retrospective study was an investigation of the effectiveness of daptomycin in patients with left-sided IE.
Methods: Fourteen patients (mean age 50.9±16.5; range 24 to 70 years) with the diagnosis of left-sided IE based on modified Duke criteria received daptomycin as monotherapy. Outcome was evaluated according to clinical improvement, microbiological eradication, and in-hospital mortality.
Results: Blood culture was positive in 13 patients (92.8%) and staphylococci were isolated in all but 1 patient (92.3%). Daptomycin was administered as monotherapy at a dose of 6 or 8 mg/kg/day for mean of 40.6±4.4 days. Clinical recovery rate was 71.4% and microbiological eradication rate was 85.7%. Mean duration of clinical recovery was 8.7±3.2 days and duration of microbiological eradication was 11.1±3.6 days. Side effects developed in 6 patients, but drug discontinuation was not required in any patient. Ten patients improved without complications. Two patients were lost due to heart failure and multiple-organ failure while treatment was continuing, and 2 patients died in early cardiac postoperative period.
Conclusion: Daptomycin is an effective and safe alternative to standard antibiotic therapy for the treatment of left-sided IE.