Oral Versus Intravenous Antibiotics for Bone and Joint Infections (OVIVA B&J)

A long course of antibiotic therapy given by a "drip" (i.e. intravenous) is recommended treatment for many serious bacterial infections. It is costly and inconvenient for the patient to remain hospitalised for therapy, so outpatient antibiotic therapy (OPAT) programmes have been established in many countries to deliver intravenous antibiotics safely and conveniently. The majority of patients referred to OPAT programmes have bone and joint infections. However, there is no clear evidence that bone and joint infection really require long courses of intravenous antibiotics rather than oral antibiotics. We will compare the outcome of treatment with intravenous versus oral antibiotic therapy for patients with bone and joint infection. The choice of antibiotic is complex, and antibiotics that are suitable oral choices are often not suitable intravenous choices and vice versa. Subjects will therefore be randomized to an oral or intravenous "strategy," rather than to individual antibiotics. Outcomes will be determined by pre-established objective criteria for treatment failure. We have conducted a pilot study in one centre (Oxford), recruiting approximately 200 patients, and are now expanding to include multi-centre recruitment in the UK, aiming to recruit 1050 patients.