Experience with dalbavancin for long-term antimicrobial suppression of left ventricular assist device infections

Left ventricular assist devices (LVAD) are a common strategy for management of end-stage heart failure. LVADs carry a risk of infection of the implanted device components, and skin flora are commonly implicated. Long-term antibiotics may be needed for management of deep device infection or recurrent superficial infections. In appropriately selected patients, dalbavancin can be a feasible option given its extended dosing interval.

This is a retrospective, single-center review of patients presenting with an LVAD infection between January 2011 and November 2022, where management included the use of dalbavancin. Data regarding LVAD placement, details of index infection, dalbavancin use and outcomes was obtained from chart review, and documented in a RedCap database.

The mean time from LVAD placement to index infection was 131.6 weeks (standard deviation 87.2 weeks). The most common targeted organism was Corynebacterium striatum in six of 10 patients. Index infection presented as deep driveline infection in four patients and recurrent superficial driveline infection in three patients. Five patients had a concurrent bloodstream infection. Dalbavancin was discontinued in two patients due to breakthrough infection, with one patient requiring surgical intervention. No drug-related adverse events were noted.

Dalbavancin is an attractive option in the management of long-term LVAD infection in patients for whom alternative oral or parenteral antibiotics are not a feasible option. Additional studies are needed to determine the optimal dosing of dalbavancin in this setting, and to study adverse events and long-term outcomes of dalbavancin.