title: Amikacin dosage in the preterm newborn.
abstract: Twenty-two preterm infants of gestational age 26 to 34 weeks were treated with amikacin for suspected bacterial infection, using a dose of 7.5 mg/kg, 12-hourly, intra muscularly. Blood levels were measured using a radio-immunoassay kit capable of giving results within 4 h. One-hour peak levels showed wide variation and the mean level one hour after the first dose was 18.2 mg/1; in severe infections an initial loading dose of 10 mg/kg is therefore recommended. Trough levels in individual infants also varied considerably from day to day, but showed no overall accumulation. There was no obvious adverse effect on hepatic or renal function.
mesh_terms: D000583:Amikacin / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007232:Infant, Newborn, Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy*; D007612:Kanamycin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D008297:Male; D011863:Radioimmunoassay
chemical_list: D007612:Kanamycin; D000583:Amikacin