Treatment of infective endocarditis caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus: teicoplanin versus vancomycin in a retrospective study.

Infective endocarditis caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is increasing. Vancomycin and teicoplanin are 2 intravenous glycopeptides appropriate for its treatment. There is no human study comparing teicoplanin and vancomycin for the treatment of MRSA endocarditis. Between 1996 and 2006, 51 MRSA endocarditis patients were treated at the authors' hospital. There were 29 patients with nosocomial infection; 15 were treated with teicoplanin. Teicoplanin was used as the first therapeutic agent in 3 patients because of renal insufficiency. Vancomycin was used as the first therapeutic agent in 12 patients. Treatment was changed to teicoplanin because of adverse reactions in 10 and persistent bacteremia in 2 patients. Early operation was performed in 2 patients because of persistent MRSA bacteremia. Overall, 7 patients died in hospital. There was no statistically significant difference in hospital mortality rate (42% vs 47%) and bacteriologic failure rate (34% vs 40%) between 36 patients treated with vancomycin and 15 patients treated with teicoplanin. Teicoplanin can be an alternative therapy of MRSA infective endocarditis.