Nationwide investigation in Japan on the efficacy of arbekacin in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infections.

A clinical investigation of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections to study the efficacy of arbekacin (ABK) was carried out by the MRSA Forum composed of 18 groups from 115 institutions in Japan. 348 patients (237 male, 111 female) were evaluated. All had infectious diseases clearly related to MRSA. 74 patients were treated with ABK alone and 274 with ABK in combination with other compounds. Most of them (94.6%/96.4%) had primary disease and suffered from pneumonia (38/175), sepsis (6/35) and other infections (30/64). Pure infection by MRSA was noted in 41/159 and polymicrobial infection with MRSA in 33/115. 53.6%/56.4% of MRSA was eradicated; bacteriological clinical efficacy was 75.6%/67.9% in pure infection and 63.6%/71.3% in polymicrobial infection. Clinical effect was obtained within three days in 70.3%/69.3% of total cases, 60.5%/72.0% in pneumonia and 90.0%/80.8% in the patients pretreated with other drugs, respectively. Efficacy ratio was shown to be 78.6%/71.4% in 30 min and 63.2%/66.4% in 60 min. Adverse effects were seen in 4.76%/5.70%, including renal function disorder (2/11), but no case was serious. Abnormal laboratory findings were noted in 15.4% of cases. ABK is effective against MRSA infection. Concurrent treatment with ABK and other drugs is effective in refractory infection.