Gentamicin and tobramycin in patients with various infections--concentrations in serum and urinary excretion

Abstract

Thirty-eight consecutive patients with various infections were treated with either gentamicin (GM) or tobramycin (TM), 19 patients in each series. In both series, a rapid accumulation of the drugs in serum was seen in patients with impaired renal function. Patients with normal renal function in the GM series, but not in the TM series, exhibited a progressive mean rise in drug serum concentrations. In both series, an incomplete recovery of daily aminoglycoside doses in urine of approximately 70% was noted in the early stages of therapy. Subsequently, the urinary recovery of TM was next to complete, while that of GM reached an average of 77%.