Gentamicin dosing in neonates: Evaluation of a dosing protocol

A study was carried out to examine the dosing of gentamicin and to investigate some of the determinants of serum gentamicin concentrations in neonates at the Royal Hobart hospital, Tasmania, Australia, and to examine the appropriateness of the current dosing protocol (that of the Royal Children's hospital, Melbourne). Clinical and demographic data were retrospectively collected from the records of 39 neonates who had received therapy with gentamicin for suspected or proven septicaemia during the period May to September, 1993. Peak and trough serum concentrations of gentamicin were measured, at least 36 hours after starting therapy. The mean gestational age (± SD) of the sample was 32.3 ± 4.9 weeks, and 30 patients were male. The mean dosage of gentamicin was 4.0 ± 1.3mg/kg/day and the median duration of therapy was 4 days (range 2 to 22 days). Trough serum concentrations of gentamicin ranged from 0.6 to 6.0mg/L (mean 1.9 ± 1.0mg/L), with 35.9 per cent being 2.0mg/L or higher. Peak serum concentrations ranged from 4.3 to 12.9 mg/L (mean 6.1 ± 1.5 mg/L), with 89.7 per cent being between 5.0 and 8.0mg/L. The peak and trough serum concentrations were significantly related, while the total daily dosage of gentamicin and the resulting peak and trough serum concentrations were not significantly related. The trough serum concentration of gentamicin was significantly related to the serum creatinine concentration. Patients who had been dosed correctly according to the protocol were less likely to have a potentially toxic trough serum concentration of gentamicin. Those administered gentamicin every 12 hours tended to have higher serum trough concentrations of the drug than those who received it either 18‐ or 24‐hourly. This study has confirmed that excessive serum concentrations of gentamicin occur frequently in neonates, a situation which may be improved by greater usage of an 18‐hourly dosing regimen and prompt adjustment of dosage according to renal function. 1995 Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain