The ZEPHyR study: a randomized comparison of linezolid and vancomycin for MRSA pneumonia

Med Mal Infect. 2013 Dec;43(11-12):451-5. doi: 10.1016/j.medmal.2013.09.011. Epub 2013 Nov 13.

Abstract

Background: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) accounts for 10-40% of hospital-acquired pneumonia, and even more in intensive care units. The current guidelines for the treatment of MRSA nosocomial pneumonia include vancomycin and linezolid. The authors of 2 prospective randomized trials comparing vancomycin and linezolid in nosocomial pneumonia had concluded to the non-inferiority of linezolid. A slight superiority of linezolid was observed in the MRSA pneumonia subgroup, in terms of clinical success and survival, but no definite conclusion could be drawn.

Methods: A prospective randomized study was made to compare a fixed linezolid dose to dose-optimized vancomycin for the treatment of bacteriologically proven MRSA nosocomial pneumonia (ZEPHyR Study).

Results: Among the 165 patients treated by linezolid (57.6%) in the PP population, 95 were clinically cured at the end of the study, compared to 81 of the 174 patients treated by vancomycin (46.6%) (IC 95% of the difference 0.5%-21.6%, P=0.042). Nephrotoxicity in the mITT population reached 8.4% in the linezolid group compared to 18.2% in the vancomycin group.

Conclusion: LNZ was superior to vancomycin for the treatment of MRSA nosocomial pneumonia.

Keywords: Linezolid; Linézolide; MRSA; Nosocomial pneumonia; Pneumonie nosocomiale; Randomized study; SARM; Vancomycin; Vancomycine; Étude randomisée.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial, Phase IV
  • Comparative Study
  • Multicenter Study
  • Randomized Controlled Trial

MeSH terms

  • Acetamides / adverse effects
  • Acetamides / therapeutic use*
  • Adult
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / adverse effects
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Cross Infection / drug therapy*
  • Cross Infection / microbiology
  • Double-Blind Method
  • Humans
  • Kidney Diseases / chemically induced
  • Linezolid
  • Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus / drug effects*
  • Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus / isolation & purification
  • Oxazolidinones / adverse effects
  • Oxazolidinones / therapeutic use*
  • Pneumonia, Staphylococcal / drug therapy*
  • Pneumonia, Staphylococcal / microbiology
  • Prospective Studies
  • Survival Analysis
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Vancomycin / adverse effects
  • Vancomycin / therapeutic use*

Substances

  • Acetamides
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Oxazolidinones
  • Vancomycin
  • Linezolid