Vancomycin for Dialytic Therapy in Critically Ill Patients: Analysis of Its Reduction and the Factors Associated with Subtherapeutic Concentrations.

This study aimed to evaluate the reduction in vancomycin through intermittent haemodialysis (IHD) and prolonged haemodialysis (PHD) in acute kidney injury (AKI) patients with sepsis and to identify the variables associated with subtherapeutic concentrations. A prospective study was performed in patients admitted at an intensive care unit (ICU) of a Brazilian hospital. Blood samples were collected at the start of dialytic therapy, after 2 and 4 h of treatment and at the end of therapy to determine the serum concentration of vancomycin and thus perform pharmacokinetic evaluation and PK/PD modelling. Twenty-seven patients treated with IHD, 17 treated with PHD for 6 h and 11 treated with PHD for 10 h were included. The reduction in serum concentrations of vancomycin after 2 h of therapy was 26.65 ± 12.64% and at the end of dialysis was 45.78 ± 12.79%, higher in the 10-h PHD group, 57.70% (40, 48-64, 30%) (p = 0.037). The ratio of the area under the curve to minimal inhibitory concentration (AUC/MIC) at 24 h in the PHD group was significantly smaller than at 10 h (p = 0.047). In the logistic regression, PHD was a risk factor for an AUC/MIC ratio less than 400 (OR = 11.59, p = 0.033), while a higher serum concentration of vancomycin at T0 was a protective factor (OR = 0.791, p = 0.009). In conclusion, subtherapeutic concentrations of vancomycin in acute kidney injury (AKI) patients in dialysis were elevated and may be related to a higher risk of bacterial resistance and mortality, besides pointing out the necessity of additional doses of vancomycin during dialytic therapy, mainly in PHD.

The use of antimicrobials in septic patients with acute kidney injury.

Sepsis is the most common cause of death in critically ill patients and it may be associated with multiorgan failure, including acute kidney injury (AKI). This situation can require acute renal support and increase mortality. Therefore, it is essential to administrate antimicrobials in dosis to achieve adequate serum levels, preventing overdosis and drug toxicity or underdosing and risk for resistance to antibiotics and higher mortality. To date, there aren't validated guidelines on antibiotic dosis adjustment in septic patients with AKI and the recommendations are extrapolated from studies conducted in non-critical patients with chronic kidney disease in end stage receiving chronic renal replacement therapy. This study aimed to review and discuss the complexity of that issue, considering the several factors related to the drugs removal: critically ill patient characteristics, antimicrobial properties and dialysis method.

The use of antimicrobials in septic patients with acute kidney injury / O uso de antimicrobianos em pacientes sépticos com lesão renal aguda

Abstract Sepsis is the most common cause of death in critically ill patients and it may be associated with multiorgan failure, including acute kidney injury (AKI). This situation can require acute renal support and increase mortality. Therefore, it is essential to administrate antimicrobials in dosis to achieve adequate serum levels, preventing overdosis and drug toxicity or underdosing and risk for resistance to antibiotics and higher mortality. To date, there aren't validated guidelines on antibiotic dosis adjustment in septic patients with AKI and the recommendations are extrapolated from studies conducted in non-critical patients with chronic kidney disease in end stage receiving chronic renal replacement therapy. This study aimed to review and discuss the complexity of that issue, considering the several factors related to the drugs removal: critically ill patient characteristics, antimicrobial properties and dialysis method.

Resumo A sepse é a principal causa de óbito em pacientes críticos e pode cursar com falência de vários órgãos, entre eles os rins, requerendo, com frequência, suporte renal agudo e elevando a mortalidade. Assim, torna-se imprescindível a administração de antimicrobianos em dose que garanta nível sérico adequado para evitar superdosagem e toxicidade medicamentosa ou ainda subdosagem e risco de resistência microbiana, ambas as situações contribuindo para maior mortalidade. Até o momento, não há diretrizes validadas para auxiliar no ajuste de dose de antibióticos nos pacientes sépticos com lesão renal aguda em suporte renal, sendo as recomendações extrapoladas de estudos realizados em pacientes não críticos e com doença renal em estádio final recebendo terapia renal substitutiva crônica. Esse estudo teve como objetivo revisar e discutir a complexidade desse assunto, levando em consideração os vários fatores relacionados à remoção de drogas: características do paciente crítico, propriedades dos antimicrobianos e método dialítico utilizado.

Bedside tests to predict laryngoscopic difficulty in pediatric patients.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Pediatric airway management is a priority during anesthesia, critical care and emergency medicine. The purpose of this study is to validate bedside tests that predict airway management difficulty in anesthetized children. METHODS: Children under 12 years of age were recruited in a cross-sectional study to assess the value of some anthropometric measures as predictors of laryngoscopic difficulty. The patients were divided into three groups by age. Weight, height, neck circumference, BMI (body mass index), inter incisors distance thyromental distance, sternomental distance, frontal plane to chin distance (FPCD) and the Mallampati index were determined and were correlated with the CML (Cormack & Lehane classification). RESULTS: The incidence of difficult laryngoscopy (CML 3 or 4) was 3.58%. Factors that were significantly associated with laryngoscopic difficulty included short inter incisors distance, high FPCD, thyromental distance, sternomental distance and the Mallampati index. The FPCD/weight index exhibited a higher area under the ROC curve than any other variable considered. CONCLUSIONS: This study confirms that the FPCD and the FPCD/weight ratio are the most consistent predictors of laryngoscopic difficulty in pediatric patients. For patients over 6 months of age, the IID also correlated with laryngoscopic difficulty. For children who were capable of obeying simple orders, the Mallampati test correlated better with laryngoscopic difficulty than did the Mallampati test with phonation. Our results strongly suggest that skilled professionals should perform airway management in children, especially in patients with a high FPCD or a high FPCD/weight ratio.