Evaluation of six gentamicin nomograms using a bayesian parameter estimation program.

A new set of guidelines for the administration of gentamicin was developed by estimating steady-state peak and trough gentamicin concentrations for simulated patients with known weights and creatinine clearances. The most appropriate doses to achieve target peak concentrations of 5-10 mg/L and troughs of less than 2 mg/L were then tabulated. The performance of these new guidelines was assessed using data collected from 60 patients who had received gentamicin and had at least two serum concentration measurements. Individual estimates of clearance and volume of distribution were obtained using a Bayesian parameter estimation program and these estimates were used to predict the steady-state peak and trough concentrations that would arise from the new guidelines and five other previously published nomograms (Mawer, Chan, Hull-Sarubbi, Rule of Eight, and Dettli). The new guidelines, the Dettli nomogram, and the Hull-Sarubbi table achieved similar percentages (52-57%) of patients within the target ranges (5-10 mg/L for peak and less than 2 mg/L for trough), although 28% of patients had predicted peak concentrations below 5 mg/L with the new method compared to 15% with the other two. Only 38% of patients were within both ranges when the Mawer nomogram and the Rule of Eight methods were used. Since a large percentage of patients would have achieved concentrations outside of the target ranges no matter which nomogram was used, serum concentration monitoring is still recommended to confirm dose requirements.