The role of tigecycline in the treatment of infections in light of the new black box warning

Tigecycline is an antibiotic with a broad spectrum of activity. Similar to tetracycline antibiotics, tigecycline exerts bacteriostatic activity. Earlier studies documented the safety and efficacy of tigecycline for complicated intra-abdominal and complicated skin and skin-structure infections, which led to its approval. Recent systematic reviews and meta-analyses have suggested increased risk of death in patients receiving tigecycline compared to other antibiotics. The Food and Drug Administration has warned clinicians about increased risk for death in patients who received tigecycline with certain severe infections and have issued a black box warning. The increased mortality risk with tigecycline is most apparent in patients treated for hospital-acquired pneumonia, particularly ventilator-associated pneumonia. The cause of excess deaths in these trials is uncertain, but it is likely that most deaths in patients with these severe infections were related to progression of the infection. Further experience with tigecycline for serious infections with drug-resistant pathogens is currently warranted.