Enzymuria: a parameter for the assessment of potential nephrotoxicity of cephalosporins

Ten informed healthy volunteers with normal renal function received 2 X 3.0 g ceftazidime on three consecutive days. The combination of the same dose of ceftazidime together with tobramycin (3 mg/kg/d) was administered four weeks later to the same group of volunteers. In the first trial with ceftazidime alone no changes in the elimination of brush-border membrane enzyme AAP were found. In contrast, the administration of ceftazidime together with tobramycin produced the expected response to tobramycin with the cumulative pattern of enzyme elimination into urine. Functional parameters remained unchanged.