This study was undertaken to evaluate the in vitro activities of arbekacin-based combination regimens against vancomycin hetero-intermediate Staphylococcus aureus (hetero-VISA). Combinations of arbekacin with vancomycin, rifampin, ampicillin-sulbactam, teicoplanin, or quinipristin-dalfopristin against seven hetero-VISA strains and two methicillin-resistant S. aureus strains were evaluated by the time-kill assay. The combinations of arbekacin with vancomycin, teicoplanin, or ampicillinsulbactam showed the synergistic interaction against hetero-VISA strains. Data suggest that these arbekacin-based combination regimens may be useful candidates for treatment options of hetero-VISA infections.
Virginiamycin/administration & dosage ; Vancomycin/*administration & dosage ; Teicoplanin/administration & dosage ; Sulbactam/administration & dosage ; Staphylococcus aureus/*drug effects/isolation & purification ; Staphylococcal Infections/drug therapy/microbiology ; Microbial Sensitivity Tests ; Methicillin Resistance ; Humans ; Drug Synergism ; Drug Resistance, Bacterial ; Dibekacin/administration & dosage/*analogs & derivatives ; Anti-Bacterial Agents/*administration & dosage ; Ampicillin/administration & dosage ; Aminoglycosides/*administration & dosage

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a major cause of ear infections. We attempted to evaluate the clinical usefulness of arbekacin in treating chronic suppurative otitis media (CSOM) by comparing its clinical efficacy and toxicity with those of vancomycin. Efficacy was classified according to bacterial elimination or bacteriologic failure and improved or failed clinical efficacy response. Ninety-five subjects were diagnosed with CSOM caused by MRSA. Twenty of these subjects were treated with arbekacin, and 36 with vancomycin. The bacteriological efficacy (bacterial elimination, arbekacin vs. vancomycin: 85.0% vs. 97.2%) and improved clinical efficacy (arbekacin vs. vancomycin; 90.0% vs. 97.2%) were not different between the two groups. However, the rate of complications was higher in the vancomycin group (33.3%) than in the arbekacin group (5.0%) (P=0.020). In addition, a total of 12 adverse reactions were observed in the vancomycin group; two for hepatotoxicity, one for nephrotoxicity, eight for leukopenia, two for skin rash, and one for drug fever. It is suggested that arbekacin be a good alternative drug to vancomycin in treatment of CSOM caused by MRSA.
Adult ; Aged ; Anti-Bacterial Agents/administration & dosage ; Chronic Disease ; Dibekacin/administration & dosage/*analogs & derivatives ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus/*drug effects ; Middle Aged ; Otitis Media, Suppurative/diagnosis/*drug therapy/microbiology ; Staphylococcal Infections/diagnosis/*drug therapy/microbiology ; Treatment Outcome ; Vancomycin/*administration & dosage ; Young Adult