Systemic tobramycin concentrations during selective decontamination of the digestive tract in intensive care unit patients on continuous venovenous hemofiltration

• Published in: Intensive care medicine 2008-05, Vol.34 (5), p.903-906
• Main Authors: Mol, Meriel, van Kan, Hendrikus J. M., Schultz, Marcus J., de Jonge, Evert
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Abdomen; Acute Kidney Injury - therapy; Administration, Topical; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Anesthesia. Intensive care medicine. Transfusions. Cell therapy and gene therapy; Anesthesiology; Anti-Bacterial Agents - administration & dosage; Anti-Bacterial Agents - adverse effects; Anti-Bacterial Agents - pharmacokinetics; Antibiotic Prophylaxis - adverse effects; Antibiotics; Biological and medical sciences; Brief Report; Clinical death. Palliative care. Organ gift and preservation; Critical Care Medicine; Disease prevention; Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions; Emergency Medicine; Female; Gastrointestinal Tract; Hemofiltration; Humans; Intensive; Intensive care; Intensive care medicine; Intestinal Absorption; Ischemia; Male; Medical sciences; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Middle Aged; Pain Medicine; Patients; Pediatrics; Pneumology/Respiratory System; Prospective Studies; Respiratory failure; Sepsis; Tobramycin - adverse effects; Tobramycin - pharmacokinetics; Toxicity
• ISSN: 0342-4642; 1432-1238
• DOI: 10.1007/s00134-008-1020-0

Objective To study whether selective decontamination of the digestive tract (SDD) results in detectable serum tobramycin concentrations in intensive care unit (ICU) patients with acute renal failure treated with continuous venovenous hemofiltration (CVVH). Design and setting Prospective, observational, single-center study in a mixed medical–surgical ICU. Patients Adult ICU patients receiving SDD for at least 3 days and being treated with CVVH because of acute renal failure. Measurements and results Tobramycin serum concentrations were measured at the 3rd day after start of CVVH and every 3 days thereafter. Detectable serum concentrations of tobramycin were found in 12 (63%) of 19 patients and in 15 (58%) of the 26 samples. With a toxic tobramycin concentration defined as more than 2.0 mg/l, we found one patient with a toxic concentration of 3.0 mg/l. In three other patients tobramycin concentrations of ≥ 1.0 mg/l were found. Conclusions In patients with acute renal failure treated with CVVH, administration of SDD with tobramycin can lead to detectable and potentially toxic serum tobramycin concentrations.