Daptomycin (DAP), a novel anti-methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) drug, produces a bactericidal effect with a very rapid onset and is expected to be efficacious. However, the induction of muscle toxicity has been reported in the United States, but there have been few reports on the safety of the drug in Japanese people with a smaller physique and lower muscle mass.
In this study, the efficacy and safety of DAP were evaluated in 66 patients on infection with gram-positive cocci (males, n = 32; median age: 65 years). The treatment was effective in 70.9% of the 55 patients in whom the treatment effects could be evaluated, and the response rate was particularly high in wound infection (83.3%) and urinary tract infection (88.9%). While a significant prolongation of the international normalized ratio, rash, etc., were observed as adverse reactions, no sign of muscle toxicity was identified, and no significant increase in creatine kinase was noted. The results of this study suggest the satisfactory efficacy and safety of DAP against infection with gram-positive cocci.
