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Clinical experience with linezolid for the treatment of neurosurgical infections

D Sousa1, P Llinares, H Meijide

  • 1Division of Infectious Diseases, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario A Coruña, Spain. dsoureg@sergas.es

Revista Espanola De Quimioterapia : Publicacion Oficial De La Sociedad Espanola De Quimioterapia
|March 18, 2011
PubMed
Abstract

Insights

Linezolid effectively treated neurosurgical infections, primarily those linked to external ventricular drainage (EVD) and coagulase-negative Staphylococcus. This antibiotic demonstrated a high cure rate with no adverse events, showcasing the benefits of oral administration.

Area of Science:

  • Infectious Diseases
  • Neurosurgery
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Neurosurgical infections pose significant challenges due to patient comorbidities and invasive procedures.
  • Coagulase-negative Staphylococcus species are common pathogens in these infections.
  • Effective antibiotic therapy is crucial for patient outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the clinical utility and effectiveness of linezolid in treating neurosurgical infections.
  • To assess the safety and tolerability of linezolid in this patient population.
  • To identify the main indications and outcomes associated with linezolid use.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective observational study of patients with culture-positive neurosurgical infections treated with linezolid.
  • Data collected from July 2004 to February 2009 in a Spanish tertiary hospital.
  • Analysis included patient demographics, comorbidities, infection types, causative organisms, treatment regimens, and clinical outcomes.

Main Results:

  • Seventeen patients were included, with common comorbidities like hemorrhage, neurological cancer, and corticosteroid use.
  • External ventricular drainage (EVD) and craniotomy were frequent predisposing factors.
  • Coagulase-negative Staphylococcus spp. were the primary pathogens (76.5%).
  • Linezolid achieved a high clinical cure rate (94.1%) with no reported adverse events.
  • Oral administration was utilized in over half of the cases, facilitating treatment.

Conclusions:

  • Linezolid is a valuable therapeutic option for post-neurosurgical infections, particularly EVD-associated infections caused by coagulase-negative Staphylococcus.
  • The drug demonstrated a high clinical cure rate and an excellent safety profile in this cohort.
  • The oral route of administration offers significant advantages for patient management.

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