title: Dosage schedule of gentamicin for chronic renal insufficiency in children.
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.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002648:Child; D003404:Creatinine / Q000378:metabolism; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005839:Gentamicins / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006207:Half-Life; D006801:Humans; D007668:Kidney / Q000503:physiopathology; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D005839:Gentamicins; D003404:Creatinine