INDIVIDUALIZING VANCOMYCIN DOSING REGIMENS - AN EVALUATION OF 2 PHARMACOKINETIC DOSING PROGRAMS IN CRITICALLY ILL PATIENTS

We evaluated the predictive performance of two commercial computer pro grams (Abbott and Simkin) for pharmacokinetic dosing of vancomycin in 50 critically ill patients, 40 with hematologic malignancies and 10 in intensive care. Predictive performance was assessed for both pharmaco kinetics and forecasting vancomycin serum levels by using a set of pea k and trough drug levels per patient. The effect of renal function and serum sampling (steady state, nonsteady state) on predictive performa nce of both programs was also analyzed. No statistically significant d ifferences were found between the programs for predicting either pharm acokinetics or serum levels, regardless of a patient's renal function or serum sampling. The Abbott and Simkin programs were similar for ind ividualizing vancomycin dosage regimens.