Response-Tailored Antibiotic Courses Match Standard Duration in Infective Endocarditis
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The POET II trial, published in the New England Journal of Medicine on August 28, 2026, tested whether stopping antibiotics early based on clinical response is safe in left-sided infective endocarditis caused by S. aureus, E. faecalis, or streptococcus species. Among 508 stabilized adults, response-tailored therapy yielded a median 183 days alive without antibiotics within 6 months, versus 169 days with the standard 4-to-6-week course, and was noninferior on the safety composite (8.2% vs. 10.7%). The approach shortened treatment without compromising overall outcomes. The trade-off is still open: relapse of bacteremia or endocarditis occurred more often with tailored therapy (5.1% vs. 1.6%), and how clinicians weigh that risk against shorter courses remains a question.
Written by a model from the reports · updated 3 hours ago
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- N Engl J MedPickResponse-Tailored or Standard-Duration Antibiotic Treatment for Infective Endocarditis.
Stopping antibiotics early based on clinical response was safe and effective in left-sided infective endocarditis caused by S. aureus, E. faecalis, or streptococcus species. In the POET II trial of 508 stabilized adults, response-tailored therapy gave a median 183 days alive without antibiotics within 6 months versus 169 days with standard 4-to-6-week therapy, and was noninferior for the safety composite (8.2% vs. 10.7%). Relapse of bacteremia or endocarditis was more frequent with tailored therapy (5.1% vs. 1.6%).
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