Stability of gentamicin in serum

Area of Science:

• Clinical Chemistry
• Pharmacokinetics
• Drug Monitoring

Background:

• Accurate measurement of gentamicin levels is crucial for therapeutic drug monitoring.
• Understanding the stability of gentamicin in patient serum under various storage conditions is essential for reliable results.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the stability of gentamicin in patient serum stored at different temperatures (-20°C, 4°C, 25°C) and in different tube types (plastic, glass).

Main Methods:

• Patient sera were divided into three portions for each patient.
• Samples were stored at -20°C, 4°C, and 25°C in plastic and glass tubes.
• Gentamicin levels were re-assayed after 1 and 2 days of storage.

Main Results:

• No significant changes in gentamicin levels were observed across different storage conditions for most patients.
• A single patient with renal failure and high carbenicillin levels showed a potential difference, warranting further investigation.

Conclusions:

• Serum gentamicin levels are generally stable for up to 2 days when stored at -20°C, 4°C, or 25°C in plastic or glass tubes.
• Standard laboratory storage conditions are suitable for maintaining the integrity of gentamicin measurements for therapeutic drug monitoring.