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  • Original Article
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Should gentamicin trough levels be routinely obtained in term neonates?

Journal of Perinatology volume 36, pages 962–965 (2016)Cite this article

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Abstract

Objective:

Gentamicin is a common antibiotic used to treat sepsis in neonates. We hypothesize that obtaining routine gentamicin trough levels may not be necessary in low-risk, term infants.

Study Design:

We performed a retrospective cohort study of term infants (n=346) treated with gentamicin in a single level III neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). The results of gentamicin trough levels and the correlation with risk factors and potential side effects were recorded. In addition, we conducted a survey of 75 academic NICUs across the United States regarding their gentamicin monitoring practice.

Results:

Routine trough levels did not predict potential gentamicin toxicity in neonates with low risk factors. Regression analysis demonstrated a positive correlation between gentamicin trough levels and serum creatinine. The survey of the NICUs in the United States demonstrated significant inconsistency in gentamicin monitoring practice.

Conclusion:

Obtaining gentamicin trough levels guided by risk factors is more appropriate than obtaining routine trough levels in low-risk term neonates.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA

    J Ibrahim

  2. Division of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine, Cohen Children's Medical Center of NY, Long Island, NY, USA

    D Maffei

  3. College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, St John’s University, Jamaica, NY, USA

    G El-Chaar

  4. Department of Pharmacy, Winthrop University Hospital, Mineola, NY, USA

    G El-Chaar

  5. Department of Biostatistics, Winthrop University Hospital, Mineola, NY, USA

    S Islam

  6. Department of Pediatrics, Children's Medical Center at Winthrop University Hospital, Mineola, NY, USA

    S Ponnaiya & W Rosenfeld

  7. Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Children's Medical Center at Winthrop University Hospital, Mineola, NY, USA

    A Nayak & N Hanna

Authors
  1. J Ibrahim
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  2. D Maffei
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  4. S Islam
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to N Hanna.

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The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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Cite this article

Ibrahim, J., Maffei, D., El-Chaar, G. et al. Should gentamicin trough levels be routinely obtained in term neonates?. J Perinatol 36, 962–965 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1038/jp.2016.120

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/jp.2016.120

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