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Purpose Prior to the 2020 release of a joint consensus guideline on monitoring of vancomycin therapy for serious methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections, clinicians had escalated vancomycin doses for 2 decades while targeting trough concentrations of 15 to 20 µg/mL, leading to an increased frequency of nephrotoxicity. For MRSA infections, the 2020 guideline recommends adjusting doses to achieve a 24-hour area under the concentration-time curve (AUC) of 400 to 600 µg · h/mL; however, monitoring of trough concentrations has been entrenched for 3 decades. Calculating dose regimens based on AUC will require obtaining an increased number of vancomycin serum concentrations and, possibly, advanced software. The aim of this investigation was to determine the relationship between AUC and trough concentration and the influence of dosing regimen on goal achievement. Methods The relationship between trough concentration and AUC was explored through derivation of an equation based on a 1-compartment model and simulations. Results 24-hour AUC is related to dosing interval divided by half-life in a nonlinear fashion. The target trough concentration can be individualized to achieve a desired AUC range, and limiting use of large doses (>15-20 mg/kg) can protect against excessive 24-hour AUC with trough-only monitoring. Conclusion After initially determining pharmacokinetic parameters, subsequent monitoring of AUC can be accomplished using trough concentrations only. Trough concentration may be used as a surrogate for AUC, although the acceptable target trough concentration will vary depending on dosing interval and elimination rate constant. This work included development of an AUC-trough equation to establish a patient-specific target for steady-state trough concentration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors discuss historical influences and reasons for the diversity in approaches to vancomycin dosing for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infection. They aim to highlight factors that promote excessive vancomycin exposure and suggest an alternative to fully implementing area under the concentration-time curve (AUC)-based dosing. They describe concerns over excessive vancomycin dosing and 24-hour AUC values when targeting trough concentrations of 15 to 20 milligrams per liter.

Purpose: We aimed to assess factors associated with therapy failure in patients with community-acquired pneumonia in the intensive care unit (ICU)., Methods: Electronic charts of patients with International Classification of Diseases , Ninth Revision , codes of pneumonia who were admitted to the ICU at a tertiary academic medical center in Southern Arizona were reviewed., Results: Antipseudomonal coverage and anti-methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) coverage were often prescribed (58.4% and 54.1%, respectively). Antipseudomonal coverage was rarely necessary as pseudomonal pneumonia was found in only one case (0.9%). Antipseudomonal and anti-MRSA coverage was not associated with improved outcomes., Conclusion: Overprescription of antibiotics in this population remains a significant problem. More work is needed to further limit unnecessary antibiotic use., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest.