Objective: The aim of this study was to confirm whether patients undergoing dialysis and treated with vancomycin 1 g/week or 500 mg/48 hours reach optimum plasma levels (10-25 mcg/ml).
Method: Thirty two patients were included with a total number of 34 infectious events. The most commonly used dose was 1 g/week (67.6% of infectious events), versus 500 mg/48 hours (32.4%). Low ultrafiltration membranes were used more frequently (64.7%) than high ultrafiltration membranes (35.3%).Vancomycin was infused over an one-hour period during the last hour of the hemodialysis session and plasma samples were drawn prior to the beginning of the session. Samples were analyzed using fluorescent polarization immunoassays.
Results: Mean concentration results for the total population did not reach optimum values (10-25 mg/ml). In the group receiving 500 mg/48 hours, optimum mean values were not reached in any of the determinations, whereas in the group receiving 1 g/week, optimum values were reached in the fourth determination. Mean plasma levels of the antibiotic were below optimum values, regardless the type of membrane used, either low or high ultrafiltration.
Conclusions: Based on the above results, we recommend titration of the vancomycin dose in this group of patients and the administration of a loading dose of 20 mg/kg during the last hour of the hemodialysis session, followed by a maintenance dose of 7 mg/kg after each session, as well as the monitoring of the drug levels in this group of patients.