Utilización de linezolid como antibiótico de uso restringido en un hospital de referencia

Objective: To analyze the use of linezolid with respect to the criteria established by the Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee (PTC). Method: Retrospective study of the patients treated with linezolid the duration of the study was 20 months. Data sources: prescription forms, antibiograms and clinical records. It was evaluated: microorganism, pathology, dosage, route, duration and treatment's side effects, prescriptive service and previous treatments. Results: 27 patients were treated by not using linezolid as a first line in any of them. The main prescription causes were pneumonia and sepsis, and the causing microorganisms were mostly: MRSA and coagulase-negative staphylococci. The therapy's duration was adequate for all patients except in four, with a duration longer than two months. Four patients suffered adverse reactions associated with the treatment. Conclusions: All prescriptions followed to the indications made by the PTC. In more than 50% of cases, linezolid was used because of therapeutic failure with glycopeptides or because of being contraindicated. Linezolid caused important side effects, specially when the maximum recommended duration was surpassed