RESUMEN
During the last decades, enterococci have emerged as important etiological agents in bacteremia, osteomyelitis, endocarditis and soft tissue infections. Antimicrobial combinations have been the most used therapeutic strategies for these infections, aiming for a bactericidal synergistic effect. However, besides in vitro and in vivo models, the clinical usefulness of such combinations is controversial, especially in non-endocardic systemic infections. For example, although beta-lactam and aminoglycoside combinations or double beta-lactam treatment have achieved high cure rates in endocarditis, the optimal treatment has not yet been clarified or if these combinations are useful in other infections. The aim of this review was to analyze and summarize the results from several experimental models of antienterococcal combined therapy and from clinical trials available in PubMed/Medline, to better assess the evidence that supports the use of these combinations. In conclusion, the available information is scarce, and more and better in vivo models and clinical studies are required to confirm the potential synergistic activity of antienterococcal combinations.
Asunto(s)
Antibacterianos/farmacología , Enterococcus/efectos de los fármacos , Infecciones por Bacterias Grampositivas/tratamiento farmacológico , Ensayos Clínicos como Asunto , Sinergismo Farmacológico , Quimioterapia Combinada , Endocarditis/inducido químicamente , Humanos , Reproducibilidad de los Resultados , Resultado del TratamientoRESUMEN
Resumen Durante las últimas décadas, especies del género Enterococcus han emergido como importantes agentes etiológicos de bacteriemia, osteomielitis, endocarditis e infecciones de tejidos blandos. La combinación de antibacterianos ha sido la estrategia terapéutica más utilizada para dichas infecciones, buscando un potencial efecto sinérgico bactericida. Sin embargo, aparte de los modelos in vitro e in vivo, la utilidad clínica del tratamiento combinado genera controversia, especialmente en infecciones sistémicas no endocárdicas. Aunque las combinaciones entre β-lactámicos y aminoglucósidos o el tratamiento dual con β-lactámicos, han mejorado las tasas de curación de la endocarditis, aún no se ha esclarecido cuál es su tratamiento óptimo o si estas combinaciones también son útiles en otro tipo de infecciones graves sistémicas. El propósito de esta revisión es analizar y resumir los resultados obtenidos de diferentes modelos experimentales de combinaciones anti-enterocócicas y de los estudios clínicos disponibles en PubMed/Medline, a fin de evaluar mejor la evidencia que soporta la utilización de estas combinaciones. En conclusión, la información disponible es escasa, e indica la necesidad de mejores modelos in vivo y estudios clínicos que permitan comprobar la potencial actividad sinérgica de las combinaciones anti-enterocóciccas.
During the last decades, enterococci have emerged as important etiological agents in bacteremia, osteomyelitis, endocarditis and soft tissue infections. Antimicrobial combinations have been the most used therapeutic strategies for these infections, aiming for a bactericidal synergistic effect. However, besides in vitro and in vivo models, the clinical usefulness of such combinations is controversial, especially in non-endocardic systemic infections. For example, although beta-lactam and aminoglycoside combinations or double beta-lactam treatment have achieved high cure rates in endocarditis, the optimal treatment has not yet been clarified or if these combinations are useful in other infections. The aim of this review was to analyze and summarize the results from several experimental models of antienterococcal combined therapy and from clinical trials available in PubMed/Medline, to better assess the evidence that supports the use of these combinations. In conclusion, the available information is scarce, and more and better in vivo models and clinical studies are required to confirm the potential synergistic activity of antienterococcal combinations.