• Bernd Saugel, Carolin Gramm, Julia Y Wagner, Marlena Messer, Tobias Lahmer, Agnes S Meidert, Roland M Schmid, and Wolfgang Huber.
• II. Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik, Klinikum rechts der Isar der Technischen Universität München, Ismaninger Strasse 22, 81675 München, Germany. Electronic address: bernd.saugel@gmx.de.
• J Crit Care. 2014 Jun 1;29(3):351-5.

PurposeWe aimed to evaluate a dosing algorithm for continuous vancomycin administration in intensive care unit patients.Materials And MethodsThis observational study was conducted in a medical intensive care unit (German university hospital; June 2012-February 2013). Following a loading dose of 20 mg per kg actual body weight, vancomycin was administered continuously (20 or 30 mg of vancomycin per kg actual body weight over 24 hours depending on renal function). The vancomycin infusion rate was adjusted to achieve a target serum vancomycin concentration of 20-30 mg/L.ResultsVancomycin was administered for a median (interquartile range) of 7 (5-9) days. The median vancomycin dose given as an initial bolus was 1750 (1400-2000) mg. The median daily vancomycin dose ranged from 480 (180-960) mg (day 6) to 3.120 (2596-3980) mg (day 1). Altogether, the achieved median serum vancomycin concentration was 29.0 (25.2-33.2) mg/L. On treatment days 1 to 7, we observed target serum vancomycin levels (20-30 mg/L) in 48%, 39%, 33%, 26%, 43%, 57%, and 69% of patients. Supra-therapeutic serum vancomycin concentrations (>30 mg/L) were observed in 36%, 52%, 61%, 63%, 39%, 19%, and 15% of patients on treatment days 1 to 7.ConclusionsThe evaluated vancomycin dosing regimen for continuous infusion allowed rapid achievement of sufficient vancomycin serum levels. However, we frequently observed supra-therapeutic serum vancomycin concentrations in the first days of vancomycin treatment.Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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