Evaluating the usefulness of the estimated glomerular filtration rate for determination of imipenem dosage in critically ill patients.

Background: Antibiotic dosing in critically ill patients is complicated by variations in the pharmacokinetics of antibiotics in this group. The dosing of imipenem/cilastatin is usually determined by severity of illness and renal function.

Objectives: To determine the correlation between estimated glomerular filtration rates (eGFRs) calculated with the Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration (CKD-EPI) equation and imipenem trough levels in critically ill patients.

Investigating the need for therapeutic drug monitoring of imipenem in critically ill patients: Are we getting it right?

Background: The drug levels and clearances of imipenem in critically ill patients are not comprehensively described in current literature, yet it is vital that adequate levels be achieved for therapeutic success.

Objectives: To determine the proportion of critically ill patients treated with imipenem/cilastatin with sub-therapeutic imipenem plasma levels, and to compare the clinical outcomes of those patients with therapeutic levels with those who had sub-therapeutic levels.

Methods: Trough imipenem plasma levels of 68 critically ill patients from a surgical intensive care unit were measured using a validated high-performance liquid chromatography method.

Diagnostic accuracy of the BioFire FilmArray blood culture identification panel when used in critically ill patients with sepsis.

Sepsis accounts for high mortality rates in critical care units. Prompt and accurate identification of causative pathogens and initiation of appropriate antimicrobial therapy is critical for the appropriate management of patients in order to optimise clinical outcomes. The BioFire FilmArray blood culture identification (BCID) panel is a US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved rapid, multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay that is able to identify a variety of bacteria, fungi and antimicrobial resistance determinants directly from positive blood cultures.

Clinical utility of the BioFire FilmArray Blood Culture Identification panel in the adjustment of empiric antimicrobial therapy in the critically ill septic patient.

Sepsis and septic shock are key contributors to mortality in critically ill patients and thus prompt recognition and management thereof is central to achieving improved patient outcomes. Early initiation of appropriate antimicrobial therapy constitutes a crucial component of the management strategy and thus early identification of the causative pathogen is essential in informing antimicrobial therapeutic choices. The BioFire FilmArray blood culture identification (BCID) panel is a US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved rapid, multiplex polymerase chain reaction assay for use on positive blood cultures.