Daptomycin-Associated Pancreatitis

Introduction to Daptomycin

Daptomycin is a lipopeptide antibiotic FDA-approved for treating Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia, right-sided infective endocarditis, and complicated skin/skin structure infections 1, 2
The most well-established adverse effect of daptomycin is elevation in creatinine phosphokinase (CPK) levels, which requires regular monitoring, particularly at higher doses (6 mg/kg/day) 1, 2
Other documented adverse effects include eosinophilic pneumonia, which has been reported in several case reports 1, 2

For patients who develop pancreatitis while on daptomycin, alternative antibiotics for MRSA infections include Linezolid, which has 100% oral bioavailability and is effective against MRSA, VISA, and VRSA 1, 2
Vancomycin is another alternative, though resistance patterns should be considered 5
Quinupristin-dalfopristin or newer agents depending on susceptibility patterns can also be used 1

Daptomycin-induced pancreatitis appears to be rare, unlike some medications where pancreatitis is a well-established side effect (such as GLP-1 receptor agonists) 3, 4