Abstract
We studied the use of aminoglycosides at King Abdulaziz University Hospital (KAUH), Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, including prescriptions, dosage, serum levels, toxic factors and treatment outcome. Two hundred and fifty-six patients on aminoglycosides were involved in the study period November - December 1994: 24 (9.4%) patients were on amikacin and 232 (90.6%) patients were on gentamicin. The serum concentration was below the therapeutic range in 75% of the patients on amikacin and 50% on gentamicin. Serum concentrations within the therapeutic range (>20 μg/ml; <35 μg/ml for amikacin, and >6 μg/ml and <10 μg/ml for gentamicin) were achieved in 4% and 44% of patients respectively. The dosage was adjusted during therapy for 57% of the patients because of low levels, and for 43% of the patients because of toxic levels. More than 30% of the patients had their serum monitored for the first time 3 days after starting aminoglycoside therapy. Aminoglycosides were discontinued before the end of the course in 157 (62%) patients because 24% of them had developed toxic levels and 24% had not responded to the treatment. Successful outcome was achieved in 170 (66%) of the patients, however, 50% of them had inappropriate serum levels. The risk factors that are significantly associated with aminoglycoside nephrotoxicity were duration of therapy (P=0.008), renal, liver diseases and ampicillin given concurrently with the aminoglycosides (P = <0.05).