The efficacy and nephrotoxicity associated with colistin use in an intensive care unit in Vietnam: Use of colistin in a population of lower body weight

•Efficacy and nephrotoxicity of Colistin was evaluated among Vietnamese patients.•The study was conducted in a population of lower body weight (median 53 ± 8.6 kg).•A personalized dosing protocol of colistin was used.•The incidence of nephrotoxicity was 21% per RIFLE criteria.

SummaryBackgroundThere has been a growing need for colistin as a key drug for the treatment of MDR-GNB infection. Information on colistin use in Asian population is limited.MethodsA retrospective observational study was conducted to assess the efficacy and nephrotoxicity in critically ill adult patients who received intravenous colistin for MDR-GNB infection in the intensive care unit (ICU) at Bach Mai Hospital in Hanoi, Vietnam. Colistin was administered according to the dosing guideline that was based on pharmacokinetic, pharmacodynamic and toxicodynamic principles, adjusted by body weight and creatinine clearance.ResultsTwenty-eight eligible patients were included. The mean patient age was 60 ± 20.4 years. The mean body weight was 53 ± 8.6 kg. The mean daily dose of colistin was 4.1 ± 1.6 MIU, and the mean cumulative dose of colistin was 48.2 ± 22.8 MIU. Colistin therapies were classified as clinically effective in 19 (67.9%) cases. Six (21.4%) patients developed nephrotoxicity during the study period according to RIFLE criteria.ConclusionA personalized dosing protocol of colistin was effective, with low nephrotoxicity, among critically ill Vietnamese patients with low body weight. Further studies are warranted for assessing the efficacy and toxicity in a larger cohort.