Concentration of teicoplanin in the serum of adults with end stage chronic renal failure undergoing treatment for infection

We examined the adequacy of the following schedule for the administration of iv teicoplanin to patients with chronic renal failure: three doses of 6 mg/kg at 12 h intervals, a fourth dose 24 h later and then subsequent doses every 72 h. Eight infected patients undergoing dialysis were investigated, with serum antibiotic concentrations measured ten minutes before and one hour after administration. Mean trough concentrations were 6.9 plus or minus 3.1 mg/L on day two, 9.8 plus or minus 4.4 mg/L (day three), 9.2 plus or minus 4.8 mg/L (day six), 10.9 plus or minus 5.5 mg/L (day nine), 12.1 plus or minus 6.1 mg/L (day 12) and 14.8 plus or minus 8.0 mg/L (day 15). The proposed schedule achieved adequate trough serum teicoplanin concentrations by 48 h in six out of eight patients examined. The dosage regimen was well tolerated.