Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 7, 2026
05:57
The Synergistic Effect of Visible Light and Gentamycin on Pseudomona aeruginosa Microorganisms
Published on: July 2, 2013
[Aminoglycosides therapy in patients with bacteraemia]
Morten Freundlich1, Reimar W Thomsen, Lars Pedersen
1Arhus Universitetshospital, Aalborg Sygehus, Aalborg.
Ugeskrift for Laeger
|February 7, 2008
Summary
Aminoglycoside (AG) antibiotic therapy showed similar 30-day mortality compared to other regimens in bacteraemia patients. While AG use increased renal risk, it decreased mortality in urinary/abdominal infections but increased it in pneumonia.
Area of Science:
- Infectious Diseases
- Nephrology
- Pharmacology
Context:
- Aminoglycosides (AG) use is debated due to potential toxicity.
- Bacteraemia management requires careful antibiotic selection.
- Empirical antibiotic therapy is crucial for sepsis outcomes.
Purpose:
- To evaluate the association between aminoglycoside (AG) therapy and mortality in bacteraemia patients.
- To assess the impact of AG therapy on renal function.
- To compare AG-containing regimens with non-AG alternatives in empirical antibiotic therapy.
Summary:
- Thirty-day mortality rates were comparable between patients receiving AG and those not receiving AG.
- Aminoglycoside therapy was linked to a decreased mortality risk in patients with urinary tract or abdominal infections.
- Conversely, AG use was associated with increased mortality in patients with pneumonia, and a modest increase in serum creatinine rise.
- Overall, AG therapy demonstrated equivalence to other antibiotic regimens when used appropriately.
Impact:
- Findings suggest a nuanced role for aminoglycosides, with benefits in certain infection types potentially outweighing renal risks.
- This study informs clinical guidelines on empirical antibiotic selection for bacteraemia, considering infection source.
- Highlights the need for individualized risk-benefit assessment when prescribing aminoglycosides.
Related Concept Videos
01:25Inhibitors of Bacterial Protein Synthesis
Aminoglycosides constitute a highly potent class of bactericidal antibiotics that exert their antimicrobial effects by targeting the bacterial ribosome, specifically disrupting protein synthesis. These polycationic molecules consist of amino-modified sugars linked via glycosidic bonds to an aminocyclitol core such as 2-deoxystreptamine or streptamine. Their strong positive charges facilitate tight binding to the negatively charged phosphate backbone of ribosomal RNA (rRNA), primarily at the 16S...
01:20Estimation of k and VD of Aminoglycosides
Aminoglycosides are a class of antibiotics used to treat various bacterial infections. Clinicians must determine the elimination rate constant (k) and volume of distribution (VD) to optimize therapeutic efficacy and minimize toxicity. The k value represents the rate at which the drug is removed from the body, and the VD reflects the degree to which the drug distributes into body tissues. Accurately estimating these parameters allows healthcare professionals to tailor drug dosing to individual...
01:28Acute Pyelonephritis II: Diagnostic Studies and Management
Introduction:For diagnosing acute pyelonephritis, a comprehensive patient history is collected to identify symptoms such as dysuria, frequent or urgent urination, flank pain, or costovertebral angle (CVA) tenderness that may suggest a kidney infection.Physical ExaminationDuring the physical examination, CVA tenderness is assessed. This involves gentle percussion over the costovertebral angle, where tenderness often indicates a kidney infection.Diagnostic TestsUrinalysis: Used to identify white...
01:25Mechanism of Antibiotic Resistance in MRSA
Antibiotic resistance in bacteria arises when microorganisms evolve the ability to withstand drugs designed to kill them or inhibit their growth, rendering once-effective treatments useless. This phenomenon, driven by genetic change and selection under antibiotic exposure, poses a profound threat to modern medicine. Mechanisms include drug-inactivating enzymes (e.g., β-lactamases), efflux pumps that eject antibiotics, mutations altering antibiotic targets, decreased drug uptake, and acquisition...
01:28Pneumonia IV: Management
The treatment of pneumonia varies based on its severity and the causative pathogen. Here is a structured approach to managing pneumonia, integrating pharmaceutical and supportive care strategies.
Bacterial Pneumonia Treatment
For bacterial pneumonia, antibiotics serve as the cornerstone of therapy. Initial treatment often begins with empirical antibiotics, tailored to the anticipated causative organism and adjusted based on culture results. Key antibiotic choices include:
Bacterial Pneumonia Treatment
For bacterial pneumonia, antibiotics serve as the cornerstone of therapy. Initial treatment often begins with empirical antibiotics, tailored to the anticipated causative organism and adjusted based on culture results. Key antibiotic choices include:
01:15Determination of Multiple Dosing Parameters: Steady-State, Minimum and Maximum Concentrations
Gentamicin, an aminoglycoside antibiotic, is commonly administered via intermittent intravenous infusion to treat severe infections. An intermittent one-hour infusion of gentamicin, administered at eight-hour intervals, allows for precise control of plasma drug concentrations, minimizing toxicity while ensuring therapeutic efficacy. Pharmacokinetic principles govern the dynamics of plasma concentrations and can be mathematically described using specific equations.The plasma drug concentration...