Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 27, 2026

Multiplex Therapeutic Drug Monitoring by Isotope-dilution HPLC-MS/MS of Antibiotics in Critical Illnesses
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Multiplex Therapeutic Drug Monitoring by Isotope-dilution HPLC-MS/MS of Antibiotics in Critical Illnesses

Published on: August 30, 2018

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Individualized antibiotic strategies

Fabio S Taccone1, Ottavia Bond, Federica Z Cavicchi

  • 1aDepartment of Intensive Care bDepartment of Infectious Diseases, Hôpital Erasme, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Brussels, Belgium.

Current Opinion in Anaesthesiology
|January 15, 2016
PubMed
Abstract

Insights

Optimizing antibiotic therapy for critically ill patients requires careful consideration of treatment timing, drug combinations, and dosing. Individualizing antimicrobial strategies based on patient factors and pathogen susceptibility is crucial for effective infection management.

Area of Science:

  • Critical Care Medicine
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Infections are frequent in critically ill patients, necessitating antibiotic treatment.
  • Antibiotic efficacy is influenced by timing, combination therapy, and dosing strategies.
  • Optimal antimicrobial delivery is challenging due to altered pharmacokinetics in critical illness.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the complexities of antibiotic therapy in critically ill patients.
  • To highlight factors influencing antimicrobial efficacy and patient outcomes.
  • To emphasize the need for individualized treatment approaches.

Main Methods:

  • Review of current literature on antibiotic use in intensive care units (ICUs).
  • Analysis of factors affecting antimicrobial pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics in critical illness.
  • Evaluation of diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for severe infections.

Main Results:

  • Early infection diagnosis is essential for prompt and effective antibiotic therapy.
  • Combination therapy may be required for resistant strains or severe conditions like septic shock.
  • Altered pharmacokinetics in critically ill patients necessitate higher or adjusted antibiotic doses.
  • Nebulized antibiotics show promise for ventilator-associated pneumonia with multidrug-resistant pathogens.

Conclusions:

  • Individualizing antibiotic therapy is paramount for managing severe infections in ICUs.
  • Treatment decisions must consider patient specifics, infecting organisms, and susceptibility.
  • Optimizing antimicrobial use remains a significant challenge for ICU physicians.

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