Design and prospective validation of a dosing instrument for continuous infusion of vancomycin: a within-population approach.

INTRODUCTION: The clinical application of continuous infusion (CoI) of vancomycin has gained interest in recent years. Since no international guidelines on initial dosing of vancomycin CoI exist, there is a need for methods to facilitate the switch from intermittent to continuous vancomycin dosing algorithms in clinically infected populations. Therefore, the aim of this study was to design and validate an a priori dosing schedule for CoI of vancomycin in clinical practice. METHODS: A dosing table for CoI of vancomycin based on estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was developed by simulation of continuous infusion of vancomycin using pharmacokinetic (PK) software and a PK population model designed from historical within-population data in intermittently dosed patients. The target range for the first vancomycin serum concentrations drawn approximately 24 h after start of infusion' (C24) was set at 15-20 mg/L corresponding with an area under the curve (AUC) of at least 350 mg·h·L(-1). The performance of the dosing schedule was primarily assessed by describing the percentages of patients attaining the predefined target. RESULTS: An eGFR-derived dosing schedule for CoI of vancomycin was established and implemented in clinical practice. Prospective assessment in 35 general ward and 45 intensive care unit patients showed that the C24 target was reached in 69 and 63 % and the AUC target was attained in 80 and 72 % of patients, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: An easy method to design and validate an eGFR-derived dosing algorithm for the continuous infusion of vancomycin to switch from intermittent to continuous dosing of vancomycin was developed.

[Continuous and intermittent infusion of vancomycin equally effective: review of the literature]. / Continue en intermitterende infusie van vancomycine even effectief.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the efficacy of continuous vancomycin infusion with intermittent vancomycin infusion based on clinical endpoints. DESIGN: Systematic review of the literature. METHOD: Sixty articles on comparative studies on continuous and intermittent vancomycin infusion were found in Pubmed. Of these, the English-language articles on studies in adults were selected. Only articles in which a comparison was made in terms of clinical endpoints were included. RESULTS: Six studies were included in which the differences between continuous and intermittent infusions were assessed in terms of the clinical endpoints. In the 2 prospective studies, no statistically significant differences in efficacy between the two methods of administration were found. A prospective study and retrospective study suggested that continuous infusion of high-dose vancomycin in patients with osteomyelitis may be more effective than intermittent infusion. There were no clear differences in side effects, although nephrotoxicity seemed to occur less rapidly and less often with continuous vancomycin infusion. CONCLUSION: The available literature showed that continuous infusion of vancomycin is as effective as intermittent administration. In addition, continuous administration is cheaper and monitoring of serum levels is simpler. This offers the possibility of discharging specific patients more quickly from hospital and facilitates home care with vancomycin.