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Many infections can now be safely treated with shortened courses of antibiotics, but data on endocarditis have been limited. The POET trial showed that once patients with left-sided endocarditis meet standardized criteria for clinical stability, they can switch from intravenous to oral treatment without compromising outcomes. Now, a second POET trial asks whether patients meeting these same criteria can stop antibiotics early.
The trial involved 508 adults with left-sided endocarditis due to Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis, or streptococcus species who had reached clinical stability after a minimum antibiotic course (2–4 weeks depending on the pathogen). They were randomized to stop treatment immediately (tailored therapy…