PK/PD Study of Antibiotics in Critically Ill Patients Receiving ECMO

Extracorporeal Membrane Pulmonary Oxygenation (ECMO) is a temporary life-support system used to provide partial or complete organ support for adult patients with severe cardiopulmonary failure. ECMO stabilizes the vital signs of critically ill patients, allowing time for further management of the underlying disease. Effective pharmacologic treatment of the primary condition is crucial for successful patient outcomes.

Critically ill patients often exhibit significant variability in pharmacokinetics (PK) compared to the general population. Moreover, the use of extracorporeal therapeutic techniques like ECMO introduces further variability and unpredictability in drug behavior. This can result from factors such as drug depletion within ECMO circuits, altered drug distribution volumes, and reduced drug excretion.

Sepsis and septic shock due to infections like pneumonia are life-threatening conditions frequently requiring admission to intensive care units. Timely and effective antimicrobial therapy is vital to reduce morbidity and mortality. To investigate the impact of ECMO therapy on the PK and PD of antimicrobial drugs, this prospective observational study will collect blood samples from critically ill adult patients, both those receiving ECMO treatment and those not receiving it. The study will focus on various antimicrobial agents, including imipenem, vancomycin, piperacillin/tazobactam, ceftazidime/avibactam, cefoperazone/sulbactam, cefepime, ceftriaxone, ticlopidine, linezolid, tigecycline, amikacin, gentamicin, polymyxin, voriconazole, fluconazole, caspofungin, micafungin, levofloxacin, and moxifloxacin. Data collected will be used to develop a Population Pharmacokinetic and Pharmacodynamic model based on patient demographics, laboratory results, dosing information, and blood concentration data.