Antibiotic Dosing in Sustained Low-Efficiency Dialysis in Critically Ill Patients

Sustained low-efficiency dialysis (SLED) is increasingly used as a renal replacement modality in critically ill patients with acute kidney injury (AKI) and hemodynamic instability. There is, therefore, a greater need for the understanding of the antibiotic dosage and pharmacokinetics in these patients, to provide them with optimal therapy.

PubMed/Medline, Embase, and Google Scholar.

PubMed/Medline, Embase, and Google Scholar databases were searched using a combination of key words: dialysis, end stage renal disease, renal failure, sustained low efficiency dialysis, extended daily dialysis, prolonged intermittent renal replacement therapy (PIRRT), and antibiotic dosing. Studies that investigated antibiotic dosing and pharmacokinetics during SLED/extended daily dialysis/PIRRT were selected for this review.

Eleven studies met inclusion criteria and selected for data extraction. The data with regard to dialysis specifications, type of antibiotic including dosages, drug clearances, and dosage recommendations are summarized in Table 1. It is a challenge to find therapeutic doses for antibiotics during SLED therapy because, in general, only aminoglycosides and vancomycin can be assayed in clinical laboratories.

Although current studies on antibiotic dosing in SLED are limited due to diverse and undersized patient populations, antibiotic dosage adjustments for patients receiving SLED discussed here will serve as a valuable guide. Future large-scale research should focus on establishing guidelines for antibiotic dosage in SLED.

Pharmacokinetic principles should be taken into consideration for the appropriate dosing of drugs during SLED, yet it is vital to monitor response to drug to make sure therapeutic goals are achieved. Antibiotic dosing and timing relative to the initiation of SLED may be important to maximize either the time above the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) (time-dependent) or the peak to MIC ratio (concentration-dependent), balancing efficacy and toxicity concerns. Critical care physicians should liaise with nephrologists to make decisions regarding appropriate antibiotic dosing in patients undergoing SLED.