Therapeutic Drug Monitoring of Beta-lactams and Renal Hyperclearance in Patients Admitted to Intensive Care for Acute Brain Injury

Augmented Renal Clearance (ARC), defined as a supraphysiological increase in renal function, is frequently observed in critically ill patients, particularly those with acute brain injury. ARC complicates the management of renally eliminated drugs, specifically beta-lactam antibiotics, by enhancing drug clearance and thereby increasing the risk of underdosing and therapeutic failure. Although pharmacological therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) is recommended to optimize dosing, it remains limited by issues of accessibility, highlighting the need for alternative approaches to identify at-risk patients and adjust dosing based on renal function. Early identification of patients at risk for subtherapeutic beta-lactam plasma concentrations could enable timely dose adjustments. A combined assessment of renal function and beta-lactam TDM could enhance our understanding of the kinetics of both parameters. These data may support the development of predictive models capable of proposing individualized dosing regimens based on renal function. Optimizing beta-lactam plasma concentrations in this patient population could improve infection management and potentially enhance clinical outcomes.