If you're ever admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) for an infectious pathology, chances are high that you will be treated with antibiotics. However, getting the right dose of antibiotics can be challenging, especially for critically ill patients.
A team of researchers conducted a clinical trial to determine if model-informed precision dosing of beta-lactam antibiotics and ciprofloxacin would be more effective than the traditional dosing method.
Antibiotics are drugs used to treat or prevent some types of bacterial infections. They work by killing bacteria or preventing them from spreading. Antibiotics have been around for nearly 100 years starting with Alexander Fleming’s discovery of penicillin.
Timely and appropriate antibiotic treatment is vital in treating critically ill patients. Beta-lactam antibiotics and fluoroquinolones such as ciprofloxacin are among the most commonly prescribed antibiotics in intensive care units.
The pharmacologic behavior of these antibiotics is different in critically ill patients compared to the non-critical ones. Consequently, only 60% of patients receiving beta-lactam antibiotics and 30% of patients receiving ciprofloxacin achieve the desired pharmacologic and clinical targets. This is a major issue as it contributes to poor clinical outcomes and increases the chances of the development of antibiotic resistance.
Model-informed precision dosing (MIPD) is an emerging approach to counter these antibiotic dosing discrepancies. It is a method that uses computer models to predict the optimal dose of medication based on individual patient factors such as age, weight, kidney function, and severity of illness. This approach can help clinicians prescribe the right amount of medication to achieve therapeutic levels while minimizing the risk of side effects.