What's the success rate of tigecycline in combined therapies?

There isn’t a single universal “success rate” for tigecycline in combined therapies. Outcomes depend on the infection type, the pathogens (including MDR organisms), patient factors, and whether there is adequate source control. In general:

- Complicated intra-abdominal infections (CIAI) and complicated skin/soft tissue infections (CSSSI): Tigecycline-containing regimens in combination with other agents have achieved clinical cure rates commonly reported in the roughly 60–85% range, with many studies showing results in the ~70–80% area. Some trials show noninferiority to comparator regimens.

- Bacteremia / bloodstream infections: These tend to have lower cure rates with tigecycline-containing regimens (often in the ~40–60% range in observational series), and mortality risk can be higher, especially when a rapid bactericidal partner is not used or when source control is poor. Tigecycline’s PK (lower serum levels) is a consideration here, which is why guidelines usually discourage monotherapy for severe bacteremia and favor combination therapy with agents that have good bactericidal activity and adequate serum concentrations.

- MDR Gram-negative infections: Data are mixed and often limited to observational studies or small trials. Some successes are reported with combination regimens, but results vary by organism and site.

Important caveats:
- Tigecycline carries a boxed warning about an overall higher risk of mortality in some patient groups, so it’s generally not used as monotherapy for severe infections or bacteremia.
- The benefit of tigecycline in combination therapy often depends on the presence of other effective agents and timely source control.

If you can share:
- the infection type (CIAI, SSTI, bacteremia, etc.),
- the pathogen or resistance pattern (e.g., MDR A. baumannii, CRE, ESBL-Klebsiella, etc.),
- patient factors (severity, organ function),

I can give you more specific ranges and point to relevant studies or reviews. I can also pull up current guidelines or meta-analyses if you’d like.