Once-daily vs. continuous aminoglycoside dosing: efficacy and toxicity in animal and clinical studies of gentamicin, netilmicin, and tobramycin.

The dosing frequency of aminoglycoside antibiotics may alter efficacy and toxicity independent of total daily dose. Once-daily tobramycin dosing was compared with continuous infusion in three models of efficacy. Acute pneumonia due to Pseudomonas aeruginosa in guinea pigs responded better to once-daily dosing, and chronic pneumonia in rats and endocarditis in rabbits responded equally to both regimens. Dogs given gentamicin, tobramycin, or netilmicin once daily, with maximum serum concentrations of greater than 100 mg/liter, had less nephrotoxicity than dogs given continuous infusions. Tobramycin was given once daily or continuously to 52 patients with cystic fibrosis who in 10 days had no change in creatinine clearance or hearing despite maximum serum tobramycin concentrations of 40 mg/liter. Intermittent dosing of aminoglycosides, causing infrequent large maximum serum concentrations, may be less toxic and equally efficacious as frequent dosing.