PHARMACOKINETIC POPULATION PARAMETERS FOR AMINOGLYCOSIDES IN CHOLECYSTITIS PATIENTS

We report the use of a new method to determine patient population phar macokinetic parameters (nonparametric expected maximum or NPEM). Our p urpose was to develop and then analyze the utility of these parameters , compared to a more traditional approach. Nineteen patients with acut e cholecystitis made up the control group for defining the parameters via NPEM. The standard of practice was to use a model created from a d ifferent intra-abdominal infection group (appendicitis), referred to a s "surgical patient model." These two models were compared with a grou p of 23 patients receiving gentamicin for acute cholecystitis. We conc luded that the NPEM model was superior to the surgical patient model i n predicting gentamicin trough and peak levels with less bias and bett er precision.