Background and importance Dalbavancin is a semisynthetic glycopeptide active against Gram-positive bacteria, approved in acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections(ABSSSI). Its use has been extended, in selected patients, to other complicated infections to avoid prolonging the hospital stay, such as: endocarditis, bacteraemia with difficulty controlling focus, and osteoarticular infections. The usual treatment regimen is a loading dose of 1500 mg followed by 1000 mg after 15 days.

Aim and objectives The objective of the study was to evaluate the days of hospital stay avoided with the use of dalbavancin in these patients.

Material and methods Observational, transversal, unicentre study in patients hospitalised between August 2020 and October 2021 in a third-level hospital who had received at least one dose of dalbavancin after discharge. The days of stay avoided were calculated according to the doses of dalbavancin administered. Information sources: electronic prescription programme ATHOS-Prisma and computerised medical record Diraya.

Results Thirty patients were included, the mean age was 63±17 years, 17 (56.7%) were men and 13 (43.3%) women. 43.3% suffered from endocarditis, 26.7% osteoarticular infections; 13.3% bacteraemia with difficulty controlling focus; 10.0%, ABSSSI; and 6.7%, other types of infections. The most frequently isolated microorganisms were: Staphylococcus spp 54.8% of the cases and Enterococcus spp 22.6%. The median hospital stays according to pathology were: endocarditis, 20±13 days; ABSSSI, 7±3 days and bacteraemia with difficulty controlling focus, 21±5 days. In osteoarticular infections, differences were found between spondylodiscitis, whose median of hospital stay was 31±6 days, and septic prosthetic infections, 12±3 days. In ABSSSI, the media was reduced by half, and in osteoarticular infections an average of 30 days per patient was avoided. In patients with endocarditis, in 61.5% (8/13) of the cases, 30 days of hospital stay were avoided; in 23.1% (3/13), 15 days; and, in the rest of patients, 15.4% (2/13), the hospital days avoided were not estimated because the treatment with dalbavancin was prolonged due to patient comorbidities.

Conclusion and relevance The use of dalbavancin in selected patients, in infections that require a prolonged hospital stay due to the patient receiving intravenous treatment, has been shown to be useful in shortening the length of hospital stay.

Conflict of interest No conflict of interest