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Although treatment guidelines do not recommend rifampin for Staphylococcus aureus native-valve endocarditis, the drug is still frequently used for this purpose in severely ill patients and those with persistent bacteremia. To explore the effects of adding rifampin to standard therapy for this condition, investigators conducted a retrospective study at a Baltimore hospital.
The study involved 42 patients who received rifampin and 42 controls (matched for time of diagnosis) who did not. Right-sided endocarditis predominated in both groups (60% of cases; 71% of controls), as did methicillin-resistant S. aureus infection; however, exclusive left-sided endocarditis and use of gentamicin were significantly more common in the rifampin group.
Sixteen…