Dose modulation: a new concept of antibiotic therapy in the critically ill patient?

Abstract

Considerable evidence has shown that adequate antibiotic therapy is of utmost importance in the critically ill septic patient. However, antibiotic concentration may be insufficient early in infection course. We propose the concept of dose modulation, meaning front-line variability of antibiotic dose, according to patient and microorganism characteristics, followed by its reduction after clinical response and patient recovery. Therefore, dose modulation means concentrating the largest weight of antibiotics at the front-end, when the microbial load is higher and the pharmacokinetic changes poses the highest risk of underdosing and nibbling off antibiotic dose, when the sepsis syndrome is improving, guided by pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic data.

Keywords: Antibiotics; Dose; Intensive care unit; Modulation; Pharmacokinetics.