Optimising personalised antibiotic treatment for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus bloodstream infections in ICU patients using a deep learning–based causal inference approach

Objective

Methicillin‑resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bloodstream infections (BSIs) in intensive care units (ICUs) carry high mortality, and although vancomycin remains standard treatment, daptomycin and linezolid may benefit specific subgroups. This study evaluates the mortality reduction associated with vancomycin, daptomycin, and linezolid using a deep learning–based causal inference model.

Methods

Data were extracted from the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care (MIMIC)-III and MIMIC-IV databases, including 270 ICU patients with MRSA BSI. A deep learning-based causal inference model was used to assess the treatment effect of linezolid, daptomycin, and vancomycin on in-hospital mortality. Multivariable logistic regression was employed to identify patient characteristics associated with the effectiveness of each antibiotic.

Results

The deep learning-based model predicted that vancomycin, daptomycin, and linezolid reduced mortality by 15.86% (17.90% to 13.82%), 9.68% (11.83% to 7.53%), and 10.74% (12.64% to 8.84%), respectively, with vancomycin showing the greatest reduction. The average treatment effect for in-hospital mortality reduction with vancomycin was significantly greater than that with linezolid and daptomycin (both P < 0.001). Multivariable logistic regression for treatment effects revealed that vancomycin was particularly effective in patients of advanced age, those with chronic liver disease, and those with end-stage kidney disease, while it was less effective in patients with congestive heart failure or cancer. Daptomycin exhibited superior efficacy over vancomycin in patients with cancer, and linezolid was more effective in patients with cancer, hypertension, and congestive heart failure.

Conclusion

This study highlights linezolid and daptomycin treatment in select subgroups, while a deep learning–based model enables personalised antibiotic recommendations for ICU treatment strategies.