Renal excretion of vancomycin in rats with acute renal failure

We have investigated the renal excretion of vancomycin in rats with acute renal failure (ARF) induced by uranyl nitrate or cisplatin. The renal clearance of the antibiotic after uranyl nitrate or cisplatin injection was separately evaluated by calculating the glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and secretory clearance. The reduced renal clearance of vancomycin in these ARF rats was a result of a decrease in both GFR and secretory clearance. The extents of the decreases in GFR and in secretory clearance were not, however, proportional, the extent of the decrease in secretory clearance being more pronounced. These results suggest that the renal tubular secretion of vancomycin was reduced more predominantly than glomerular filtration in these ARF models.