The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 269 No 7208 p125
27 July 2002

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Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy article (more)

Linezolid penetrates bone and muscle

Linezolid (Zyvox), an oxazolidinone antibiotic, rapidly penetrates bone, fat and muscles in patients undergoing total hip replacement, say researchers (Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy 2002;50:73).

Dr Andrew Lovering, Bristol Centre for Antimicrobial Research and Evaluation, Southmead Hospital, and colleagues gave 12 patients 600mg of linezolid as a 20-minute intravenous infusion immediately before surgery. Samples of bone, fat, muscle and blood were taken from patients 10, 20 and 30 minutes after the start of the operation and were analysed for the presence of linezolid.

The researchers found that penetration levels were above those needed to inhibit most pathogens found in bone and joint infections and that peak concentrations occurred 10–20 minutes after the end of the infusion. They say that although antibiotic administration was used as prophylaxis in the study, the data support the use of linezolid in the treatment of bone and associated soft tissue infections.

The study was supported by Pharmacia, manufacturer of Zyvox.