RETROSPECTIVE STUDY OF TEICOPLANIN AS HOME CONTINUATION OF HOSPITAL-INITIATED THERAPY

Data were collected retrospectively on 69 cases of infection in 57 pat ients who had received teicoplanin on a non-inpatient basis for at lea st part of a course of therapy. A total of 52 records related to patie nts who were undergoing treatment for a hematological malignancy, most of whom had central venous catheter infection or catheter-related sep ticemia. Eleven cases were related to the treatment of bone and/or joi nt infection, two were concerned with the treatment of endocarditis an d two were linked to soft tissue infections. In most cases in which ba cteriological identification was made, coagulase-negative staphylococc i were the causative organisms. Other pathogens included Staphylococcu s aureus, streptococci, enterococci and diphtheroids. In most cases, t he dose of teicoplanin used corresponded to the recommended dose for s erious infections. All patients received teicoplanin intravenously and some patients administered the drug themselves. Clinical success (cur e plus improvement) was achieved in 94% of evaluable cases and bacteri ological success in 83%. Two adverse events were reported, but neither related to problems of antibiotic administration in a non-inpatient s etting. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.