Evaluation of gentamicin premixed admixtures: cost and clinical utility

An objective of this study was to evaluate the cost effectiveness of employing gentamicin premixed admixtures compared to using exact, individualized compounded doses. Gentamicin use and waste data were collected over a 2-month period. Annualized institutional savings (300 beds) were projected to be $8,802. A second objective was to compare predicted to measured peak and trough serum gentamicin concentrations when premixed admixtures are used (rounding off computer generated doses to the nearest 10 mg) and when individually compounded exact doses are delivered. Twenty adults were randomized to receive premixed or compounded doses. Blood levels drawn at steady state were compared to predicted levels for the delivered dose. Differences between measured and predicted levels were not significant by performance of an independent t test on the mean square prediction errors. We conclude that it is cost effective and clinically valid to employ premixed intravenous admixtures in a large teaching hospital.