Therapeutic Drug Monitoring of Antimicrobials in Critically Ill Patients

A special issue of Antibiotics (ISSN 2079-6382). This special issue belongs to the section "Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics of Drugs".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 November 2025 | Viewed by 2925

Special Issue Editor


E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Clinical Sciences, The Ben and Maytee Fisch College of Pharmacy, The University of Texas at Tyler, Tyler, TX, USA
Interests: critical care; infectious diseases; anticoagulants; pharmacotherapy in the obese

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Despite numerous therapeutic innovations, infection-related mortality in critically ill patients persists as a significant healthcare concern. Early initiation of antimicrobials is essential to improve the clinical outcomes of infections in critically ill patients. Additionally, correct dosage of antimicrobials is extremely important to ensure their adequate exposure. Therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) is the most commonly recommended strategy to evaluate exposure and adapt dosing in critically ill patients.

This Special Issue welcomes all types of submissions (original research papers, short communications, reviews, case reports and perspectives) related to antimicrobial TDM in critically ill patients.

Prof. Dr. Young Ran Lee
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Antibiotics is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM)
  • antibiotics
  • antimicrobials
  • pharmacokinetic
  • pharmacodynamic
  • critically ill

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (3 papers)

Order results
Result details
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

12 pages, 814 KiB  
Article
Pharmacokinetics of Isavuconazole During Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Support in Critically Ill Patients: A Case Series
by Laura Doménech-Moral, Sonia García-García, Alba Pau-Parra, Manuel Sosa, Adrian Puertas Sanjuan, Camilo Bonilla, Elisabeth Gallart, Laura Castellote, Patricia Faixó, Jessica Guevara, Albert Vilanova, María Martínez-Pla, Aldair Conto, Xavier Nuvials, Pilar Lalueza, Ricard Ferrer, Maria Queralt Gorgas and Jordi Riera
Antibiotics 2025, 14(6), 600; https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics14060600 - 12 Jun 2025
Viewed by 380
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is increasingly used in critically ill patients, but may significantly alter the pharmacokinetics (PK) of antifungals. Data on plasma concentrations of Isavuconazole (IsaPlasm) in ECMO patients are limited. Our objective is to evaluate Isavuconazole exposure and variability in [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is increasingly used in critically ill patients, but may significantly alter the pharmacokinetics (PK) of antifungals. Data on plasma concentrations of Isavuconazole (IsaPlasm) in ECMO patients are limited. Our objective is to evaluate Isavuconazole exposure and variability in critically ill COVID-19 patients receiving ECMO. Methods: We conducted a pharmacokinetic analysis of Isavuconazole in critically ill patients receiving Veno-Venous ECMO for respiratory support. Plasma concentrations were measured using therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) at multiple time points, including sampling before and after the membrane oxygenator. PK parameters—Area Under Curve (AUC0–24), Minimum Plasma Concentration (Cmin), Elimination Half-Life (T1/2), volume of distribution (Vd), and clearance (CL)—were estimated and compared with published data in non-ECMO populations. Results: Five patients were included. The median AUC0–24 was 227.3 µg·h/mL (IQR 182.4–311.35), higher than reported in non-ECMO patients. The median Vd was 761 L (727–832), suggesting extensive peripheral distribution and potential drug sequestration in the ECMO circuit. CL was increased (1.6 L/h, IQR 1.5–3.4). Two patients with recently replaced ECMO circuits exhibited significant drug loss across the membrane. Obesity and hypoalbuminemia were identified as factors associated with altered drug exposure. Conclusions: Isavuconazole pharmacokinetics show marked variability in critically ill ECMO patients. Increased AUC and Vd, along with reduced clearance, highlight the need for individualized dosing. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

13 pages, 549 KiB  
Article
Impact of Recovery from Febrile Neutropenia on Intra-Individual Variability in Vancomycin Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients
by Yukie Takumi, Ryota Tanaka, Motoshi Iwao, Ryosuke Tatsuta and Hiroki Itoh
Antibiotics 2025, 14(6), 570; https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics14060570 - 2 Jun 2025
Viewed by 363
Abstract
Background/Objectives: The pharmacokinetics of vancomycin (VCM) in patients with febrile neutropenia (FN) are highly variable due to coexisting conditions such as systemic inflammatory response syndrome and augmented renal clearance. Upon hematopoietic recovery, VCM clearance (CLvcm) is expected to normalize, which contributes to intra-individual [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: The pharmacokinetics of vancomycin (VCM) in patients with febrile neutropenia (FN) are highly variable due to coexisting conditions such as systemic inflammatory response syndrome and augmented renal clearance. Upon hematopoietic recovery, VCM clearance (CLvcm) is expected to normalize, which contributes to intra-individual variability. This study aimed to investigate the factors contributing to intra-individual variability in CLvcm among pediatric patients with FN. Methods: This retrospective, single-center study analyzed 33 pediatric patients (48 FN episodes) who met the inclusion criteria. CLvcm was estimated using Bayesian estimation based on the pediatric population pharmacokinetic model developed by Le et al., and standardized with allometrically scaled body weight. The change (Δ) in each clinical laboratory parameter or CLvcm was calculated as the difference between the values at the current and previous TDM within the same episode. Results: A total of 155 VCM TDM data points were analyzed. Intra-individual comparisons revealed that CLvcm decreased significantly in patients recovering from FN to a non-FN state (n = 18, p = 0.0285). Further analysis of intra-individual variability revealed that Δ CLvcm correlated significantly with Δ hemoglobin, Δ C-reactive protein, and Δ maximum daily body temperature, with the strongest correlation observed for Δ maximum daily body temperature (rs = 0.325, p = 0.001). Multivariate analysis confirmed Δ maximum daily body temperature as a significant factor influencing Δ CLvcm (B = 0.376, 95% CI: 0.074 to 0.678, p = 0.015). Conclusions: Maximum daily body temperature was identified as a factor influencing intra-individual variability in CLvcm in pediatric FN patients, particularly during the recovery process from FN to a non-FN state. The finding suggests that dose adjustment based on maximum daily body temperature may allow safe and effective VCM therapy in FN patients. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

9 pages, 578 KiB  
Article
A Retrospective Analysis of Intravenous Push versus Extended Infusion Meropenem in Critically Ill Patients
by Emory G. Johnson, Kayla Maki Ortiz, David T. Adams, Satwinder Kaur, Andrew C. Faust, Hui Yang, Carlos A. Alvarez and Ronald G. Hall 2nd
Antibiotics 2024, 13(9), 835; https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics13090835 - 2 Sep 2024
Viewed by 1539
Abstract
Meropenem is a broad-spectrum antibiotic used for the treatment of multi-drug-resistant infections. Due to its pharmacokinetic profile, meropenem’s activity is optimized by maintaining a specific time the serum concentration remains above the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) via extended infusion (EI), continuous infusion, or [...] Read more.
Meropenem is a broad-spectrum antibiotic used for the treatment of multi-drug-resistant infections. Due to its pharmacokinetic profile, meropenem’s activity is optimized by maintaining a specific time the serum concentration remains above the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) via extended infusion (EI), continuous infusion, or intermittent infusion dosing strategies. The available literature varies regarding the superiority of these dosing strategies. This study’s primary objective was to determine the difference in time to clinical stabilization between intravenous push (IVP) and EI administration. We performed a retrospective pilot cohort study of 100 critically ill patients who received meropenem by IVP (n = 50) or EI (n = 50) during their intensive care unit (ICU) admission. There was no statistically significant difference in the overall achievement of clinical stabilization between IVP and EI (48% vs. 44%, p = 0.17). However, the median time to clinical stability was shorter for the EI group (20.4 vs. 66.2 h, p = 0.01). EI administration was associated with shorter hospital (13 vs. 17 days; p = 0.05) and ICU (6 vs. 9 days; p = 0.02) lengths of stay. Although we did not find a statistically significant difference in the overall time to clinical stabilization, the results of this pilot study suggest that EI administration may produce quicker clinical resolutions than IVP. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

Back to TopTop