A study of amikacin given once versus twice daily in serious infections.
Forty-five mostly elderly patients with serious infections were treated in a prospective, comparative and randomized pharmacokinetic study with amikacin 11.0 or 15.0 mg/kg administered in a single daily dose as an intravenous, short-term infusion or with amikacin 7.5 mg/kg administered twice daily in the same way. The results indicate that administration of amikacin 15 mg/kg in a single daily dose should be a practical and safe principle of administration. However elderly patients often have reduced creatinine clearance and should preferably be given a lower dose of 11 mg/kg bw. The risk of nephrotoxicity did not increase, but conclusions on ototoxicity and clinical efficacy cannot be drawn from this limited study. This should be considered as an initial part of a future multicentre trial.
Maller
R
R
Department of Infectious Diseases, University Hospital, Linköping, Sweden.
Isaksson
B
B
Nilsson
L
L
Sörén
L
L
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000583:Amikacin / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D006801:Humans; D007668:Kidney / Q000187:drug effects; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011897:Random Allocation
D000583:Amikacin