Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is an important cause of nosocomial pneumonia. Compared with glycopeptide antibiotics, linezolid achieves higher lung epithelial lining fluid concentrations, which may have an advantage in treating nosocomial pneumonia patients. The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of linezolid versus vancomycin or teicoplanin for the treatment of nosocomial pneumonia. Data were obtained from the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials and the EMBASE and MEDLINE databases. Randomised controlled studies involving the use of linezolid versus vancomycin or teicoplanin in nosocomial pneumonia patients were included in the study. Twelve linezolid trials were included. There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups in the treatment of nosocomial pneumonia regarding the clinical cure rate [relative risk (RR) = 1.08, 95 % confidence interval (CI) = 1.00-1.17, p = 0.06]. Linezolid was associated with better microbiological eradication rate in nosocomial pneumonia patients compared with glycopeptide antibiotics (RR = 1.16, 95 % CI = 1.03-1.31, p = 0.01). There were no differences in the all-cause mortality (RR = 0.95, 95 % CI = 0.83-1.09, p = 0.46) between the two groups. However, the risks of rash (RR = 0.41, 95 % CI = 0.24-0.71, p = 0.001) and renal dysfunction (RR = 0.41, 95 % CI = 0.27-0.64, p < 0.0001) were higher with glycopeptide antibiotics. Although linezolid was more effective in eradicating microbiology than glycopeptide antibiotics for nosocomial pneumonia patients, it did not demonstrate superiority in clinical cure. The incidences of renal dysfunction and rash are higher in the glycopeptide antibiotics group.

Acinetobacter baumannii (Ab) bacteraemia in patients with haematological malignancies is fatal but rarely reported. We explored the clinical characteristics, drug resistances and prognostic factors in these patients. This multicentre, retrospective study was conducted at the department of haematology wards of 18 tertiary hospitals in China from January 2014 to June 2015. The total clinical isolates from every source were collected from patients with haematological malignancy. Haematological malignancy patients diagnosed with Ab bacteraemia were analysed. During the study period, 40 patients with Ab bacteraemia were identified, accounting for 2.9% (40/1358) of bacteraemia cases, of which 25 (62.5%) had acute leukaemia (AL) and 27 (67.5%) had neutropaenia. Compared with non-neutropaenic patients, neutropaenic patients showed higher Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) scores and 30-day mortality rates (p < 0.05). The in vitro antibiotic susceptibility of Ab to colistin was highest, at 100%, followed by that of tigecycline (91.30%) and amikacin (75.86%). Compared with the patients who had carbapenem-susceptible Ab infections, patients infected with carbapenem-resistant Ab (CRAB) had significantly longer hospital stays and were more likely to have had exposure to carbapenem before bacteraemia (p < 0.05). The 30-day mortality rate was 32.5%. CRAB, neutropaenia, higher APACHE score, Pitt bacteraemia score and inappropriate initial antimicrobial therapy were significantly associated with 30-day mortality. Multivariable analysis showed that APACHE score and CRAB were independent predictors of 30-day mortality. Haematologic patients with AL and febrile neutropaenia were at high risk of Ab bacteraemia. More attention should be paid to CRAB, which is an independent risk factor for mortality in haematological malignancy patients with Ab bacteraemia.

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