POET-II trial shows shorter antibiotic duration for endocarditis is possible

Results from the POET-II trial, presented at the European Society of Cardiology Congress, suggest that antibiotic treatment for left-sided infective endocarditis can be safely shortened for some patients. The study found that tailoring antibiotic duration based on a patient's clinical stabilization could reduce the median treatment time from 41 days to 26 days, a reduction of approximately one-third.

The open-label trial involved 508 clinically stable patients across 13 centers in Denmark, Sweden, and the United States. Participants were treated for infections caused by Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis, or streptococci. In the tailored therapy group, antibiotics were discontinued after a minimum of two to four weeks once predefined stabilization criteria were met.

While the tailored approach met its primary safety endpoint, the study also noted a higher rate of relapse. Bacteremia or endocarditis relapse occurred in 5.1 percent of the shortened treatment group compared to 1.6 percent in the standard therapy group. Despite this, the study met its noninferiority criterion for the primary safety outcome.