Editing Linezolid (section)

===Skin and soft tissue infections===
A large [[meta-analysis]] of randomized controlled trials found linezolid to be more effective than glycopeptide antibiotics (such as vancomycin and [[teicoplanin]]) and [[beta-lactam antibiotic]]s in the treatment of skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs) caused by Gram-positive bacteria,<ref name=Falagas2008>{{cite journal |vauthors=Falagas ME, Siempos II, Vardakas KZ |title=Linezolid versus glycopeptide or beta-lactam for treatment of Gram-positive bacterial infections: meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials |journal=Lancet Infectious Diseases |volume=8 |issue=1 |pages=53–66 |date=January 2008 |pmid=18156089 |doi=10.1016/S1473-3099(07)70312-2 |issn=1473-3099}} Structured abstract with quality assessment available at [http://www.crd.york.ac.uk/CRDWeb/ShowRecord.asp?ID=12008005415 DARE] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111004094022/http://www.crd.york.ac.uk/CRDWeb/ShowRecord.asp?ID=12008005415 |date=4 October 2011 }}.</ref> and smaller studies appear to confirm its superiority over teicoplanin in the treatment of all serious Gram-positive infections.<ref name=Tascini>{{cite journal  |vauthors=Tascini C, Gemignani G, Doria R, etal |title=Linezolid treatment for gram-positive infections: a retrospective comparison with teicoplanin |journal=Journal of Chemotherapy |volume=21 |issue=3 |pages=311–6 |date=June 2009 |pmid=19567352 |issn=1120-009X |doi=10.1179/joc.2009.21.3.311|s2cid=19381342 }}</ref>

In the treatment of diabetic foot infections, linezolid appears to be cheaper and more effective than vancomycin.<ref name=Chow>{{cite journal | vauthors = Chow I, Lemos EV, Einarson TR | title = Management and prevention of diabetic foot ulcers and infections: a health economic review | journal = PharmacoEconomics | volume = 26 | issue = 12 | pages = 1019–35 | year = 2008 | pmid = 19014203 | doi = 10.2165/0019053-200826120-00005 | s2cid = 30903985 }}</ref> In a 2004 [[open-label study]], it was as effective as [[ampicillin/sulbactam]] and [[amoxicillin/clavulanic acid]], and far superior in patients with foot ulcers and no [[osteomyelitis]], but with significantly higher rates of adverse effects.<ref name=Lipsky>{{cite journal | vauthors = Lipsky BA, Itani K, Norden C | title = Treating foot infections in diabetic patients: a randomized, multicenter, open-label trial of linezolid versus ampicillin-sulbactam/amoxicillin-clavulanate | journal = Clinical Infectious Diseases | volume = 38 | issue = 1 | pages = 17–24 | date = January 2004 | pmid = 14679443 | doi = 10.1086/380449 | s2cid = 20586344 | doi-access =  }}</ref><ref name=Pigrau>{{cite journal | vauthors = Pigrau C, Almirante B | title = [Oxazolidinones, glycopeptides and cyclic lipopeptides] | language = es | journal = Enfermedades Infecciosas y Microbiologia Clinica | volume = 27 | issue = 4 | pages = 236–46 | date = April 2009 | pmid = 19406516 | doi = 10.1016/j.eimc.2009.02.004 | url = http://www.elsevier.es/sites/default/files/elsevier/pdf/28/28v27n04a13136682pdf001.pdf | trans-title = Oxazolidinones, glycopeptides and cyclic lipopeptides | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110723082633/http://www.elsevier.es/sites/default/files/elsevier/pdf/28/28v27n04a13136682pdf001.pdf | url-status = dead | archive-date = 23 July 2011 }}</ref> A 2008 meta-analysis of 18 randomized controlled trials, however, found that linezolid treatment failed as often as other antibiotics, regardless of whether patients had osteomyelitis.<ref name=Vardakas>{{cite journal | vauthors = Vardakas KZ, Horianopoulou M, Falagas ME | title = Factors associated with treatment failure in patients with diabetic foot infections: An analysis of data from randomized controlled trials | journal = Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice | volume = 80 | issue = 3 | pages = 344–51 | date = June 2008 | pmid = 18291550 | doi = 10.1016/j.diabres.2008.01.009 }}</ref>

Some authors have recommended that combinations of cheaper or more cost-effective drugs (such as [[co-trimoxazole]] with [[rifampicin]] or [[clindamycin]]) be tried before linezolid in the treatment of SSTIs when susceptibility of the causative organism allows it.<ref name=Pigrau/><ref>{{cite journal |vauthors=Grammatikos A, Falagas ME |title=Linezolid for the treatment of skin and soft tissue infection |journal=[[Expert Review of Dermatology]] |volume=3 |issue=5 |pages=539–48 |year=2008 |doi=10.1586/17469872.3.5.539}}</ref>