Vancomycin Dosing and Monitoring in the Treatment of Cystic Fibrosis: Results of a National Practice Survey.

OBJECTIVES: Vancomycin is commonly used in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) to treat acute pulmonary exacerbations, but few guidelines exist to help dose and monitor patients. The objective of this study was to assess vancomycin use and monitoring strategies at Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (CFF)-accredited centers in hopes of developing and implementing vancomycin dosing and monitoring standards.

METHODS: An anonymous national cross-sectional survey of pharmacists affiliated with CFF-accredited pediatric and/or adult centers was performed by using Surveymonkey.com. The survey consisted of 3 sections: (1) CF Center Demographic Information (10 questions); 2) vancomycin use in pediatric CF patients (31 questions); and 3) vancomycin use in adult CF patients (29 questions); it was administered from March 9, 2015, to April 13, 2015.

RESULTS: The survey was completed by 31/69 (45%) pharmacists and 28 (90.3%) reported using vancomycin in the pediatric population. The most common initial starting dose for pediatric patients was 15 mg/kg/dose (57.1%) and every 6 hours was the most common dosing frequency (67.9%). The most common monitoring strategy was collection of a trough concentration (92.9%) with 57.7% of pharmacist targeting a range of 15 to 20 mg/L. The most common initial starting vancomycin dose in adults with CF was 15 mg/kg/dose (61.5%), and initial frequency of every 8 hours (73.1%). The most common monitoring strategy was a trough concentration (96.2%) with 83.3% of pharmacists reporting a goal trough range of 15 to 20 mg/L.

CONCLUSIONS: The most common vancomycin dosing reported was 15 to 20 mg/kg/dose every 6 hours (pediatric) and 15 to 20 mg/kg/dose every 8 to 12 hours (adults). Serum concentrations measured to meet monitoring parameters of trough concentrations of 15 to 20 mg/L, or area under the curve to minimum inhibitory concentration ratio > 400, were the same in both pediatric and adult patients.