Pharmacokinetics of aminoglycosides in subjects with normal and impaired renal function

Since aminoglycosides are antibiotics almost exclusively eliminated by the kidneys, their pharmacokinetic study in normal subjects and in uraemic patients is essential to establish dosage schedules adapted to various degrees of renal impairment. Many studies have been recently reported, particularly with regard to the newly developed desoxystreptamine aminoglycoside antibiotics. The present paper is a compilation of our own results and a review of the literature concerning Streptomycin, Kanamycin and its semi-synthetic derivation, Amikacin or BB-K8, Gentamicin, Tobramycin, Lividomycin, Sisomicin and its semi-synthetic derivation, Netilmicin.