Real-World Use, Effectiveness, and Safety of Intravenous Fosfomycin: The FORTRESS Study

Abstract Introduction Intravenous fosfomycin (FOS) is a broad-spectrum antibiotic primarily used in combination therapy to treat severe infections caused by both Gram-positive (GP) and Gram-negative (GN) pathogens, including multi-drug resistant (MDR) bacteria. The aim of this study, the largest to...

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Main Authors: Klaus-Friedrich Bodmann, Stefan Hagel, Alessandra Oliva, Stefan Kluge, Alessandra Mularoni, Valentina Galfo, Marco Falcone, Mathias W. Pletz, Simone Lindau, Nadja Käding, Jan T. Kielstein, Michael Zoller, Carlo Tascini, Sebastian Kintrup, Dirk Schädler, Claudia Spies, Francesco G. De Rosa, Szilvia Radnoti, Alessandra Bandera, Roberto Luzzati, Sam Allen, Loredana Sarmati, Antonio Cascio, Nikolaos Kapravelos, Chinari P. K. Subudhi, George Dimopoulos, Matthias G. Vossen, Abhijit M. Bal, Mario Venditti, Claudio M. Mastroianni, Thomas Borrmann, Christian Mayer
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Adis, Springer Healthcare 2025-03-01
Series:Infectious Diseases and Therapy
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1007/s40121-025-01125-2
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Summary:Abstract Introduction Intravenous fosfomycin (FOS) is a broad-spectrum antibiotic primarily used in combination therapy to treat severe infections caused by both Gram-positive (GP) and Gram-negative (GN) pathogens, including multi-drug resistant (MDR) bacteria. The aim of this study, the largest to date, was to evaluate the effectiveness, safety, usage patterns, and patient characteristics of FOS in a real-world setting. Methods Interim analysis of an ongoing, prospective, non-interventional, multicentre study in five European countries, involving centres in Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom, Greece, and Austria. Results A total of 716 patients were enrolled between January 2017 and November 2023 (mean age: 62.8 years, APACHE II: 18.3, SOFA: 6.7). Main indications for FOS were bacteraemia/sepsis (23.6%), complicated urinary tract infections (18.0%), and bone and joint infections (17.4%). Other indications included hospital-acquired/ventilator-associated pneumonia (11.0%), complicated skin and soft tissue infections (9.1%), bacterial meningitis/central nervous system (CNS) infections (7.8%), and infective endocarditis (6.4%). Most common pathogens identified were Staphylococcus aureus (31.4%, including methicillin-resistant S. aureus), Klebsiella spp. (including K. pneumoniae) (17.2%), Escherichia coli (14.2%), coagulase-negative staphylococci (12.9%), other Enterobacterales (10.9%), and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (8.4%). In 34.6% of patients, an MDR pathogen was involved. Carbapenem resistance (CR) was high in Klebsiella spp. infections (59/123, 48.0%). In most patients, FOS was used in combination therapy (90.2%). The median dose was 15 g/day. Overall, clinical success and clinical response were favourable with 75.3% and 83.4% at the end of FOS treatment. Clinical success rates in infections caused by MDR or CR pathogens were 78.0% and 81.8%, respectively. Microbiological cure was achieved in 82.4% of all patients. Electrolyte imbalances were the most frequently observed adverse drug reactions, while gastrointestinal disorders were rare. Conclusion The results from this study suggest that FOS is a safe and effective option as combination partner in the treatment of patients with severe infections caused by both GP and GN pathogens, including deep-seated infections and/or involvement of MDR bacteria. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov identifier, NCT02979951.
ISSN:2193-8229
2193-6382