Abstract
Gentamicin was given to paediatric patients with chronic renal disease complicated by infections by Gram-negative organisms, in which renal function varied from normal to severely insufficient. Peak serum levels after an intramuscular dose of 1 mg/kg body weight ranged from 3.1 to 9.4 microgram/ml, which appeared adequate for therapy. The peak value was not related to the renal function of the individual patients. The serum half-life of gentamicin correlated inversely with the value for endogenous creatinine clearance. A diagram for the estimation of the serum half-life of gentamicin using the creatinine clearance value is presented. As a practical guide, it is recommended that the dose of gentamicin in children with renal function impairment be 1 mg/kg given intramuscularly and that the interval between doses be almost three times as long as the serum half-life, which can be estimated by means of the diagram for individual patients. The accuracy and safety of this method were confirmed by treating children with this adjusted dosage schedule.
Published Version (
Free)
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call