Dalbavancin as salvage therapy in difficult-to-treat patients for diabetes-related foot osteomyelitis

We aimed to describe the efficacy and safety of dalbavancin in treatment of patients with diabetes-related foot osteomyelitis with bone culture confirmation. Between January 2019 and December 2021, all consecutive patients receiving at least one 1500 mg dose of dalbavancin for diabetes-related foot osteomyelitis were included in a retrospective study. Remission was defined as absence of relapsing infection or need for surgery at the initial or a contiguous site during 6-month follow-up from the last dose of dalbavancin. Thirteen patients were included. Eleven (85%) patients were surgically treated. Six (46%) patients received dalbavancin as first-line treatment and 7 (54%) as second-line treatment due to adverse events related to previous treatments. One adverse event was reported. At 6-month follow-up, 11 patients were evaluable and 9 (82%) were in remission. In the study, dalbavancin was well-tolerated and showed microbiological and clinical efficacy.