Efficacy and Safety of Eravacycline Combination Therapy for Carbapenem-Resistant Acinetobacter baumannii Pneumonia in ICU Patients: A Retrospective Study.

INTRODUCTION

The rising incidence of carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (CRAB) poses challenges in Intensive Care Unit (ICU) settings. Eravacycline, the first fluorocycline antibiotic introduced globally, is increasingly utilized for CRAB-related infections. This study compares eravacycline with tigecycline for CRAB pneumonia in ICU patients.

METHODS

This retrospective study analyzed 65 ICU patients with CRAB pneumonia treated at Henan Provincial People's Hospital from September 2023 to March 2024; the clinical efficacy and adverse reactions of eravacycline and tigecycline as target therapies were compared.

RESULTS

Both CRAB pneumonia cohorts exhibited more than 50% co-infection rates, predominantly Aspergillus and Klebsiella pneumoniae. Multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS) incidence was significantly higher in the eravacycline group (45.5% vs 15.5%, P<0.05). Prior to target-drug administration, patients in the eravacycline group showed a longer duration of antibiotic therapy (19.79 ± 9.97 days vs 14.25 ± 7.98 days; P<0.05). Similarly, the median hospital stay was longer in the eravacycline group [27 (19.50, 39.00) days] versus the tigecycline group [19 (14.00, 29.00) days]. After the index culture, the median time to antibiotic initiation was longer in the eravacycline group than in the tigecycline group (6.52 ± 5.03 days vs 4.09 ± 3.14 days; P < 0.05). The 30-day mortality rate was lower in the eravacycline group than in the tigecycline group (15.2% vs 25.0%). Notably, no deaths occurred among eravacycline-treated patients who received infectious disease specialist consultations. Infection symptom resolution and cure rates did not differ significantly between the two groups.

CONCLUSION

Eravacycline demonstrated non-inferior efficacy to tigecycline in CRAB pneumonia treatment, with a favorable safety profile. Prompt consultation with infectious disease specialists and timely initiation of eravacycline therapy following the index culture are crucial factors in enhancing clinical outcomes.