• J Neal Sharpe, Eugene H Shively, and Hiram C Polk.
• SharpCare, LLC, 9505 Williamsburg Plaza, Suite 201, Louisville, KY 40222, USA. drjneal@msn.com
• Am. J. Surg. 2005 Apr 1;189(4):425-8.

BackgroundResistant bacteria often complicate the management of skin and soft tissue infections of the lower extremities. This open-label study compared oral linezolid and intravenous vancomycin for management of complicated skin and soft-tissue infections caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).MethodsPatients aged 18 years or older with proven MRSA-related complicated skin and soft-tissue infections requiring surgical intervention were randomized to receive oral linezolid (n=30) or intravenous vancomycin (n=30) for 7 to 21 days. Clinical and microbiological outcomes, duration of hospitalization and drug treatment, and outpatient charges were determined.ResultsLinezolid was associated with greater rates of clinical cure and improvement (P=.015), a 3-day shorter median length of stay (P=.003), and reduced outpatient charges (P<.001). Vancomycin therapy was associated with more treatment failures and subsequent lower-extremity amputations (P=.011).ConclusionsClinical outcomes were significantly better with linezolid than with vancomycin. Additionally, linezolid was associated with reduced length of stay and outpatient charges.

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