In the SAFE-trial (Safe shortening of antibiotic treatment duration for complicated Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia) participants will be randomized to receive either 4 or 6 weeks of antibiotic treatment. David Buis, MD, has started as PhD candidate in March 2020 and will coordinate the SAFE-trial.
Research question
Unnecessary long-term exposure to antibiotics should be avoided since it increases the risk of adverse events such as renal and hepatic toxicity, health-care-related infections and antibiotic resistance. Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia (SAB) is one of the most common serious bacterial infections worldwide. Complicated SAB is typically treated with 6 weeks of antibiotics, but there are no randomized studies to guide this duration. International guidelines are not conclusive and recommend 4 to 6 weeks of treatment.