ISSN:
1432-1041
Keywords:
Key wordsGentamicin; aminoglycoside antibiotics
;
administration and dosage
;
serum assays
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Chemistry and Pharmacology
,
Medicine
Notes:
Abstract Gentamicin continues to have an important role in the treatment of serious bacterial infections. There is increasing interest in once-daily administration, which is more convenient than multiple-dose regimens. Animal studies and clinical trials suggest that once-daily administration is as efficacious and no more toxic for a variety of infections, but there is still some reluctance to use once-daily regimens routinely in neutropenic patients, because of the potential risk of breakthrough bacteraemia. A number of aspects of the serum concentration monitoring of once-daily gentamicin remain unresolved. The most commonly used assay systems are not sensitive enough, without some modification in technique, to detect the very small pre-dose concentrations seen with once-daily dosing, and it is not clear what constitutes an acceptable pre-dose concentration. Until the results from further studies become available, it is prudent to maintain a pre-dose concentration below 1 mg ⋅l−1, and local arrangements are necessary to address the frequency and timing of assays. It seems likely that once-daily administration will become the norm, because of its many advantages.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s002280050084
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