International journal of antimicrobial agents
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Int. J. Antimicrob. Agents · Oct 2013
Plasma exposure of free linezolid and its ratio to minimum inhibitory concentration varies in critically ill patients.
The clinical implications of free linezolid monitoring have not been fully clarified in critically ill patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate the variability in pharmacokinetics of free linezolid and its relationship with susceptibility to meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in critically ill patients. Twenty critically ill MRSA-infected patients receiving intravenous linezolid were enrolled. ⋯ In addition, the fAUC(0-24) was correlated with the minimum free concentration. In conclusion, the plasma level of free linezolid was variable in critically ill patients with renal dysfunction and hypoalbuminaemia. This finding suggests that the monitoring of free linezolid is necessary in critically ill patients.
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Int. J. Antimicrob. Agents · Oct 2013
ReviewCandidaemia in the non-neutropenic patient: a critique of the guidelines.
Several guidelines have been published on the management of candidaemia. These guidelines vary in their recommendations, and the lack of consistency between the guidelines has implications for the management of candidaemia. ⋯ We found that too much emphasis has been placed on themes such as predicting the infecting species (and therefore fluconazole susceptibility) or the need for investigations such as echocardiography. We also stress that guidelines fail to provide adequate information (due to lack of evidence) on the most relevant issues that clinicians face when managing candidaemia, such as the place for fluconazole in the treatment of C. glabrata, the clinical relevance of dose-dependent susceptibility to fluconazole, and the timing of step-down therapy.
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Int. J. Antimicrob. Agents · Oct 2013
ReviewWhat is the relevance of fosfomycin pharmacokinetics in the treatment of serious infections in critically ill patients? A systematic review.
As treatment options for critically ill patients with multidrug-resistant bacteria diminish, older antibiotics such as fosfomycin are being investigated for use as last-resort drugs. Fosfomycin is a broad-spectrum antibiotic with activity both against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. The aim of this review was to examine the effectiveness of current fosfomycin dosing strategies in critically ill patients. ⋯ If altered as seen in acute kidney injury, toxic blood concentrations may develop. Fosfomycin has a volume of distribution comparable with β-lactams and aminoglycosides and may therefore increase in critically ill patients. Altered dosing strategies may be required to optimise dosing given these PK changes, although the current paucity of data on fosfomycin in critically ill patients prevents accurate dosing guidance being recommended at this time.
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Int. J. Antimicrob. Agents · Oct 2013
Case ReportsIntravenous colistin in a patient with serious burns and borderline syndrome: the benefits of therapeutic drug monitoring.
Colistin is a decades-old drug that fell out of favour due to its nephrotoxicity. Today, colistin is experiencing a renaissance as a treatment against multiresistant Gram-negative bacteria such as Pseudomonas and Acinetobacter in critically ill patients. The optimal dosing of colistin for most infections is unknown. ⋯ At most, the CKD-EPI formula is helpful in determining creatinine clearance. The pharmacokinetics of colistin are currently poorly understood. TDM of colistin methanesulfonate and colistin may represent an invaluable approach to optimise colistin drug exposure in ICU patients with fluctuating renal clearance.