Predictors of acute kidney injury under continuous infusion of vancomycin in critically ill surgical patients

Introduction Vancomycin is one of the first antibiotic choices for the treatment of severe gram-positive bacterial infections, especially if due to methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Vancomycin is suspected to cause nephrotoxicity, hence continuous vancomycin therapy as an alternative to intermittent administration has been proposed to reduce the risk of developing acute kidney injury (AKI). So far, vancomycin concentration and duration of therapy were identified as the strongest variables associated with the development of AKI during continuous vancomycin therapy [1].