title: Determining gentamicin dosage in infants and children with renal failure.
abstract: Gentamicin half-life values based on pharmacologic calculations were determined in 23 infants and children with diminished renal function. The half-life times correlated significantly with serum creatinine concentrations in patients who had steady-state creatinine levels (Y = 0.379 + 3.841 X, R = 0.951, P less than 0.001). This relationship provides a basis for formulating gentamicin dosage in pediatric patients with renal failure. The half-life of gentamicin is estimated by multiplying the serum creatinine concentration by four; three-quarters of the loading dose is administered every two half-lives. When renal function is unstable and changing daily, gentamicin half-life cannot be reliably predicted from the serum creatinine value.
mesh_terms: D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003404:Creatinine / Q000097:blood; D005839:Gentamicins / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000097:blood; D006207:Half-Life; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications
chemical_list: D005839:Gentamicins; D003404:Creatinine