Predicting the risk of nephrotoxicity in patients receiving colistimethate sodium: a multicentre, retrospective,

Kady Phe1, Ryan K Shields2, Frank P Tverdek3

  • 1Department of Pharmacy, Baylor St Luke's Medical Center, Houston, TX, USA.

Abstract

Insights

A validated model can predict colistimethate sodium (CMS) nephrotoxicity risk in patients. This aids in managing patients requiring CMS therapy and reduces kidney damage risk.

Area of Science:

  • Pharmacology
  • Nephrology
  • Infectious Diseases

Background:

  • Rising infections from multidrug-resistant (MDR) Gram-negative organisms necessitate using older antibiotics like colistimethate sodium (CMS).
  • CMS use carries a significant risk of nephrotoxicity, a serious side effect impacting kidney function.
  • Existing risk factors for CMS-associated nephrotoxicity lack validation, creating a need for reliable predictive tools.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate and compare the performance of existing mathematical models in predicting the risk of CMS-induced nephrotoxicity.
  • To identify a validated model for assessing nephrotoxicity risk in patients treated with CMS.
  • To inform clinical practice and patient management strategies for CMS therapy.

Main Methods:

  • A multicentre, retrospective cohort study involving adult patients from five US academic medical centres.
  • Patients with normal baseline renal function receiving intravenous CMS for at least 72 hours were followed for 30 days.
  • Nephrotoxicity was defined by RIFLE criteria; predictive models were assessed using observed-to-expected (O/E) ratios and classification and regression tree analysis.

Main Results:

  • The study included 106 patients (mean age 53.3 years, 66% male) with an overall observed nephrotoxicity rate of 52.8%.
  • A simple model demonstrated a reasonable overall nephrotoxicity risk assessment with an O/E ratio of 1.07 (95% CI: 0.81–1.39).
  • This model achieved high sensitivity (92.9%) in predicting nephrotoxicity development in patients on CMS therapy.

Conclusions:

  • A validated predictive model for CMS-associated nephrotoxicity has been identified.
  • This model can be integrated into clinical practice to guide patient management strategies.
  • Implementation of this model may help mitigate the risk of kidney damage in patients requiring CMS treatment.

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