LONG-ACTING lipoglycopeptides (laLGPs), a type of semi-synthetic antibiotic, could be an alternative treatment to standard antibiotics for people with serious bacterial infections, according to research published in JAMA Network.
The drugs, which include dalbavancin and oritavancin, can be given in a single dose that lasts up to eight weeks, but are currently only approved for the treatment of acute bacterial skin infections.
In this study, researchers set out to investigate laLGPs' off-label use for serious bacterial infection, noting they could be useful for certain groups, such as drug users and people with mental health disorders, who may struggle with adherence to long-term daily therapies.
They may also be useful for those living in remote and rural areas, where use of regular antibiotics requires frequent laboratory monitoring and close nurse, pharmacist and physician follow-up, which may be challenging.
The study included around 42,000 people discharged from hospital after a serious bacterial infection, and around 800 (2%) of them were prescribed one of the long-acting drugs instead of normal antibiotics.
The researchers found no statistically significant difference in outcomes between patients given the long-acting medications and those given antibiotics.
"Our study highlighted utilisation patterns and supported the clinical effectiveness of laLGPs in serious bacterial infections among a diverse patient population," wrote the authors.
"Future research should compare patient and clinician preferences among intravenous treatments, laLGPs, and oral antibiotics, as well as the cost-effectiveness of each option.
"Clinically, laLGPs can be an effective alternative to standard antibiotic courses for serious bacterial infections," they concluded.
Read the study HERE. KB
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