PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

MRSA drug dosage calculations found to be inaccurate for children over 10

2014-01-07
(Press-News.org) Contact information: Ben Norman
Sciencenewsroom@wiley.com
40-124-370-375
Wiley
MRSA drug dosage calculations found to be inaccurate for children over 10 The emergence of MRSA (Staphylococcus aureus), dubbed a 'superbug' due to its resistance to many antibiotic drugs, has resulted in the glycopeptide antibiotic Vancomycin being commonly prescribed for patients in hospital.

However, MRSA's resistance to drugs has led to concerns of a 'creeping minimum' in the concentration of the dosage required to treat infection. In adults, nomograms are used to calculate the correct dosage of Vancomycin based on a patient's weight and creatinine levels.

While these adult nomograms are widely thought to be suitable for teenagers, pharmacological differences between teens and young adults remain poorly understood.

New research, published in the Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, explores the accuracy of adult nomograms in children over ten. The results of 120 patients from a children's' hospital in Vanderbilt, Nashville, revealed that Vancomycin nomograms from adults were not accurate in predicting appropriate dosing levels in older children.

"Based on the variability of pharmacokinetic parameters and drug clearance, the two Vancomycin nomograms developed to predict therapeutic Vancomycin concentrations in healthy adults did not accurately estimate dosage regimens in older children regardless of weight or age, and therefore should not be used to aid empiric dosing," said Dr. Jessica Gillon. "Further prospective studies are warranted for teens between 10 and 18 years of age to determine the most appropriate Vancomycin dosing to maximize drug efficacy and reduce the risk of Vancomycin induced renal toxicity."

### END


ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

New global stroke repository offers regional comparative statistics

2014-01-07
New global stroke repository offers regional comparative statistics In many countries strokes are seen as a lower priority when compared to other diseases despite their public health impact. This is partly due to a lack of readily accessible data to make the case for the development ...

Vikings & superheroes: How interconnected characters may reveal the reality behind the stories

2014-01-07
Vikings & superheroes: How interconnected characters may reveal the reality behind the stories The Icelandic sagas of the Norse people are thousand-year-old chronicles of brave deeds and timeless romances, but how true to Viking life were they? Writing in Significance, Pádraig ...

New, simple technique may drive down biofuel production costs

2014-01-07
New, simple technique may drive down biofuel production costs Researchers at North Carolina State University have developed a simple, effective and relatively inexpensive technique for removing lignin from the plant material used to make biofuels, which ...

Beating the poppy seed defense: New test can distinguish heroin use from seed ingestion

2014-01-07
Beating the poppy seed defense: New test can distinguish heroin use from seed ingestion Heroin is one of the most widely used illegal drugs in the world, but drug testing has long been challenged by the difficulty in separating results of illicit heroin users from those who ...

Neurotransmitters resarch can promote better drugs for brain disorders

2014-01-07
Neurotransmitters resarch can promote better drugs for brain disorders Hebrew University scientists decipher mechanism Jerusalem, January 7, 2014 -- Although drugs have been developed that inhibit the imbalance of neurotransmitters in the brain – ...

The 5 fingers of our feathered friends: New research results on the evolution of bird wings

2014-01-07
The 5 fingers of our feathered friends: New research results on the evolution of bird wings In most tetrapods (land vertebrates) the fourth (ring) finger is the first to develop in the embryo. And in birds, the finger on the outside of the hand (posterior, ...

Gemini Planet Imager first light

2014-01-07
Gemini Planet Imager first light World's most powerful exoplanet camera turns its eye to the sky This news release is available in Spanish. After nearly a decade of development, construction, and testing, the world's most advanced instrument for directly imaging ...

To keep their eye on the ball, batters mostly use their heads

2014-01-07
To keep their eye on the ball, batters mostly use their heads How do hitters track pitches in baseball? Study in optometry and vision science gives new insights Philadelphia, Pa. (January 7, 2014) - Baseball players at bat follow coaches' advice to "keep ...

New algorithm can dramatically streamline solutions to the 'max flow' problem

2014-01-07
New algorithm can dramatically streamline solutions to the 'max flow' problem Research could boost the efficiency even of huge networks like the Internet Finding the most efficient way to transport items across a network like the U.S. highway system or the ...

When germs attack: A lens into the molecular dance

2014-01-07
When germs attack: A lens into the molecular dance Researchers at Johns Hopkins have zoomed in on what is going on at the molecular level when the body recognizes and defends against an attack of pathogens, and the findings, they say, could influence how drugs are ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

Pink skies

Monkeys are world’s best yodellers - new research

Key differences between visual- and memory-led Alzheimer’s discovered

% weight loss targets in obesity management – is this the wrong objective?

An app can change how you see yourself at work

NYC speed cameras take six months to change driver behavior, effects vary by neighborhood, new study reveals

New research shows that propaganda is on the rise in China

Even the richest Americans face shorter lifespans than their European counterparts, study finds

Novel genes linked to rare childhood diarrhea

New computer model reveals how Bronze Age Scandinavians could have crossed the sea

Novel point-of-care technology delivers accurate HIV results in minutes

Researchers reveal key brain differences to explain why Ritalin helps improve focus in some more than others

Study finds nearly five-fold increase in hospitalizations for common cause of stroke

Study reveals how alcohol abuse damages cognition

Medicinal cannabis is linked to long-term benefits in health-related quality of life

Microplastics detected in cat placentas and fetuses during early pregnancy

Ancient amphibians as big as alligators died in mass mortality event in Triassic Wyoming

Scientists uncover the first clear evidence of air sacs in the fossilized bones of alvarezsaurian dinosaurs: the "hollow bones" which help modern day birds to fly

Alcohol makes male flies sexy

TB patients globally often incur "catastrophic costs" of up to $11,329 USD, despite many countries offering free treatment, with predominant drivers of cost being hospitalization and loss of income

Study links teen girls’ screen time to sleep disruptions and depression

Scientists unveil starfish-inspired wearable tech for heart monitoring

Footprints reveal prehistoric Scottish lagoons were stomping grounds for giant Jurassic dinosaurs

AI effectively predicts dementia risk in American Indian/Alaska Native elders

First guideline on newborn screening for cystic fibrosis calls for changes in practice to improve outcomes

Existing international law can help secure peace and security in outer space, study shows

Pinning down the process of West Nile virus transmission

UTA-backed research tackles health challenges across ages

In pancreatic cancer, a race against time

Targeting FGFR2 may prevent or delay some KRAS-mutated pancreatic cancers

[Press-News.org] MRSA drug dosage calculations found to be inaccurate for children over 10