PHARMACOKINETICS OF AMIKACIN, NETILMICIN AND TOBRAMYCIN IN CHILDREN WITH CHRONIC-RENAL-FAILURE

The single-dose pharmacokinetics of amikacin, netilmicin and tobramyci n administered intramuscularly at doses of 7.5 mg/kg amikacin, 2.5 mg/ kg netilmicin or 3 mg/kg tobramycin were studied in 30 children with c hronic renal failure. Serum amikacin, netilmicin and torbramycin level s were measured by a radioimmunoassay method. The correlation between serum creatinine levels and the half-life of the antibiotics was found to be statistically significant. There were interpatient differences in serum aminoglycoside levers among those with the same serum creatin ine levels. Thus, monitoring of serum creatinine and aminoglycoside le vels is recommended, especially for those with renal failure, in order to maintain an optimal dosage between toxic and noneffective serum am inoglycoside levels.