6533b7d4fe1ef96bd1261c46

RESEARCH PRODUCT

A comparative study of the population pharmacokinetics of gentamicin and amikacin in newborn patients

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SUMMARY The population kinetics of gentamicin and amikacin were studied comparatively in newborn patients with a similar range of gestation age (37.9 ± 2.9 and 36.7 ± 3.6 weeks), postnatal age (13.8 ± 7.4 and 16.7 ± 7 days) and weight (2.85 ± 0.57 and 2.72 ± 0.75 kg), undergoing routine therapeutic monitoring of their serum levels. Individual kinetic analysis of serum drug levels was done using a single-compartment model. The population model employed assumes the existence of residual variability in the serum concentrations and interindividual variability in the pharmacokinetic parameters. The clearance and the apparent distribution volume were calculated for each patient using a two-stage method. Statistically significant differences were obtained in the distribution parameters (0.54 ± 0.17 and 0.43 ± 0.13 1/kg) of both drugs (P<0.05), but not in serum clearance. The interindividual variability in the pharmacokinetic parameters was similar. These results help to improve the forecasting quality of the ‘a priori’ methods for the initial dosing of aminoglycoside antibiotics in this type of patient.