Loading...
Vancomycin has traditionally been the go-to drug for all methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections, despite its toxicity and complex pharmacokinetics. In some studies, linezolid has performed as well as or better than vancomycin, but in those studies, vancomycin was generally not dosed optimally according to blood levels.
Researchers recently compared these two drugs for the treatment of adults with MRSA pneumonia in a multicenter, randomized, double-blind trial sponsored by the maker of linezolid. An unblinded pharmacist at each study site adjusted vancomycin doses according to trough levels.
Fifty-eight percent of linezolid recipients (95/165) achieved clinical cure 7 to 30 days after completion of treatment, compared wi…