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Suppurative thrombophlebitis medical therapy

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]

Overview

Overview

The mainstay of therapy for suppurative thrombophlebitis is antimicrobial therapy. Empiric therapy includes anti-staphylococcal antibiotics plus antibiotics with coverage against enterobacteriaceae. The benefit of pharmacologic anticoagulation is uncertain in suppurative thrombophlebitis and is not routinely recommended.

Medical Therapy

Medical Therapy

  • The mainstay of therapy for suppurative thrombophlebitis is a prolonged course of targeted antibiotic therapy.
  • Duration of therapy is at least 4 weeks for all cases regardless of the causative organism. Patients may need 6 weeks of therapy to clear the infection.
  • Any long-term catheters should be removed from patients with suppurative thrombophlebitis. It is recommended that no long-term catheters are inserted before clearing of blood cultures.
  • All recommendations are based on observational data. There is no randomized data to determine the optimal duration of antibiotics, use of anticoagulants, thrombolytic agents, or excision of the involved vessel.
  • The use of anticoagulants remains controversial, but anticoagulation with heparin should be considered in refractory cases.[1]

Antimicrobial Regimens

  • Treatment of suppurative thrombophlebitis[1]
  • 1. Bacterial pathogens
  • 1.1 Gram-positive bacilli
  • 1.1.1 Staphylococcus aureus
  • 1.1.1.1 Methicillin-sensitive
  • 1.1.1.2 Methicillin-resistant
  • 1.1.2 Coagulase-negative staphylococci
  • 1.1.2.1 Methicillin-sensitive
  • 1.1.2.2 Methicillin-resistant
  • 1.1.3 Enterococcus faecalis & Enterococcus faecium
  • 1.1.3.1 Ampicillin-sensitive
  • 1.1.3.2 Ampicillin-resistant & Vancomycin-sensitive
  • 1.1.3.3 Ampicillin-resistant & Vancomycin-resistant
  • 1.2 Gram-negative bacilli
  • 1.2.1 Escherichia coli & Klebsiella spp.
  • 1.2.1.1 ESBL negative
  • 1.2.1.2 ESBL positive
  • 1.2.2 Enterobacter spp. & Serratia marcescens
  • 1.2.3 Acinetobacter spp.
  • 1.2.4 Stenotrophomonas maltophilia
  • 1.2.5 Pseudomonas aeruginosa
  • 1.2.6 Burkholderia cepacia
  • 2. Fungal pathogens
  • 2.1 Candida spp.
  • Preferred regimen (1): Caspofungin 70 mg IV single dose THEN 50 mg IV q24h
  • Preferred regimen (2): Micafungin 100 mg IV q24h
  • Preferred regimen (3): Anidulafungin 200 mg IV single dose THEN 100 mg IV q24h
  • Preferred regimen (4): Fluconazole 400–600 mg IV q24h
  • Alternative regimen: Amphotericin B, Liposomal 3-5 mg/kg IV q24h
  • 3. Uncommon pathogens
  • 3.1 Corynebacterium jeikeium
  • Preferred regimen: Vancomycin 15 mg/kg q12h (trough levels 15-20 mcg/ml)
  • Alternative regimen: Linezolid 600 mg IV q12h
  • Note: No clinical studies available for Linezolid. Recommendation based on in vitro activity.
  • 3.2 Chryseobacterium (Flavobacterium) spp.
  • 3.3 Ochrobacterium anthropi
  • 3.4 Malassezia furfur
  • Preferred regimen: Amphotericin B, Liposomal 3-5 mg/kg IV q24h
  • Alternative regimen: Voriconazole 6 mg/kg IV q12h for first 24h THEN 4 mg/kg IV q12h
References

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 Mermel LA, Allon M, Bouza E, Craven DE, Flynn P, O’Grady NP; et al. (2009). “Clinical practice guidelines for the diagnosis and management of intravascular catheter-related infection: 2009 Update by the Infectious Diseases Society of America”. Clin Infect Dis. 49 (1): 1–45. doi:10.1086/599376. PMC 4039170. PMID 19489710.


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