Abstract | AIM: To establish the safety and efficacy of single daily intravenous netilmicin 6 mg/kg with piperacillin 100 mg/kg every 8 h for empirical, first-line management of children with neutropenic pyrexia following cytotoxic chemotherapy. METHODS: Observational study of children admitted to a regional oncology unit from October 1999-April 2002. Primary outcome measure was temperature 72 h after commencing antibiotic therapy; secondary measures were mortality, nephrotoxicity, symptomatic ototoxicity and serum netilmicin levels. RESULTS: 280 episodes for 128 patients (median age 7.1 y) were documented, and 248 episodes were evaluated and compared with a previous cohort of 100 episodes for which the only difference was administration of netilmicin three times daily. Twenty-seven per cent of single-dose netilmicin episodes remained febrile at 72 h compared to 32% in the comparator group (difference -4.7%; 95 % CI: -6.8% to 16.2%; p = 0.41). No patients died and we were unable to find evidence of nephrotoxicity or ototoxicity. Eighty-nine per cent of "peak" serum netilmicin levels measured 30 min after infusion were 10 mg/l or greater, and 94% and 86% measured 12-16 h after the first and third dose, respectively, were 1 mg/l or less. Peak serum netilmicin level measurements and 12-16-h measurements after the first dose were abandoned after the first 180 episodes. CONCLUSIONS:
Netilmicin can safely be given as a single daily dose to children with febrile neutropenia who do not have biochemical evidence of nephrotoxicity. Monitoring peak serum levels of netilmicin is unnecessary. Levels taken 12-16 h after the third dose are adequate to monitor therapy if used in conjunction with a therapeutic guideline detailing the response to abnormal serum creatinine and netilmicin levels.
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Authors | Susan Hemsworth, Anthony J Nunn, Karen Selwood, Caroline Osborne, Ashley Jones, Barry Pizer |
Journal | Acta paediatrica (Oslo, Norway : 1992)
(Acta Paediatr)
Vol. 94
Issue 3
Pg. 268-74
(Mar 2005)
ISSN: 0803-5253 [Print] Norway |
PMID | 16028643
(Publication Type: Journal Article)
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Chemical References |
- Anti-Bacterial Agents
- Antineoplastic Agents
- Netilmicin
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Topics |
- Adolescent
- Anti-Bacterial Agents
(administration & dosage, blood)
- Antineoplastic Agents
(adverse effects)
- Brain Neoplasms
(drug therapy)
- Child
- Drug Monitoring
- Female
- Fever
(drug therapy)
- Humans
- Infant
- Infusions, Intravenous
- Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin
(drug therapy)
- Male
- Netilmicin
(administration & dosage, blood)
- Neutropenia
(etiology)
- Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma
(drug therapy)
- Retrospective Studies
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