Table 2.
Comparison of dosage recommendations of seven most commonly used antibiotics for sepsis in neonates in eight reference sources
| DPF [9] | Neofax [11] | The Harriet Lane Handbook [12] | Red Book [13] | Long & Pickering [14] | Nelson’s [15] | PDH [16] | BNFC [17] | aRDD | Range | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ampicillin (mg−1 kg−1 day−1) | ||||||||||
| < 7 days, ≤ 2000 g | n.a.a | 50–150 | 50–100 | 100 | 200 | 100 | 100 | 60–120 | 101 | 50–200 |
| < 7 days, > 2000 g | n.a.a | 50–150 | 75–150 | 150 | 200 | 150 | 150 | 60–120 | 132 | 50–200 |
| ≥ 1 week, ≤ 1200 g | n.a.a | 50–150 | 50–100 | 150 | 300 | 150 | 150 | 90–240 | 146 | 50–300 |
| ≥ 1 week, 1200–2000 g | n.a.a | 50–150 | 75–150 | 150 | 300 | 150 | 100–150 | 90–240 | 151 | 50–300 |
| ≥ 1 week, ≥ 2000 g | n.a.a | 50–150 | 100–200 | 200 | 300 | 150 | 150–200 | 90–240 | 180 | 50–300 |
| Benzylpenicillin/Penicillin G (IU−1 kg−1 day−1) | ||||||||||
| < 7 days, ≤ 2000 g | 50,000 | 50,000–150,000 | 50,000–100,000 | 50,000–100,000 | n.a. | 100,000 | 50,000–100,000 | 100,000 | 82,143 | 50,000–100,000 |
| < 7 days, > 2000 g | 75,000 | 50,000–150,000 | 75,000–150,000 | 50,000–100,000 | n.a. | 100,000 | 50,000–100,000 | 100,000 | 90,357 | 75,000–150,000 |
| ≥ 1 week, ≤ 1200 g | 75,000 | 50,000–150,000 | 50,000–100,000 | 100,000–200,000 | n.a. | 150,000 | 50,000–100,000 | 100,000 | 100,000 | 50,000–225,000 |
| ≥ 1 week, 1200–2000 g | 75,000 | 50,000–150,000 | 75,000–150,000 | 100,000–200,000 | n.a. | 150,000 | 50,000–100,000 | 120,000 | 111,071 | 50,000–225,000 |
| ≥ 1 week, ≥ 2000 g | 100,000 | 50,000–150,000 | 100,000–200,000 | 100,000–200,000 | n.a. | 150,000 | 50,000–100,000 | 120,000 | 120,714 | 50,000–200,000 |
| Cefotaxime (mg−1 kg−1 day−1) | ||||||||||
| < 7 days, ≤ 2000 g | 100 | 100–150 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 50–100 | 100 | 50–200 |
| < 7 days, > 2000 g | 100 | 100–150 | 100–150 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100–150 | 50–100 | 106 | 50–200 |
| ≥ 1 week, ≤ 1200 g | 150 | 100–150 | 100 | 100–150 | 150 | 150 | 100–150 | 75–150 | 123 | 75–200 |
| ≥ 1 week, 1200–2000 g | 150 | 100–150 | 150 | 100–150 | 150 | 150 | 100–150 | 75–150 | 135 | 75–200 |
| ≥ 1 week, ≥ 2000 g | 150 | 100–150 | 150–200 | 200 | 150 | 150 | 150–200 | 75–150 | 148 | 75–200 |
| Ceftazidime (mg−1 kg−1 day−1) | ||||||||||
| < 7 days, ≤ 2000 g | 50 | 60–90 | 100 | 100 | n.a. | 100 | 25–100 | 25–50 | 82 | 25–100 |
| < 7 days, > 2000 g | 100 | 60–90 | 100–150 | 100 | n.a. | 100 | 100 | 25–50 | 91 | 25–100 |
| ≥ 1 week, ≤ 1200 g | 100 | 60–90 | 100 | 100–150 | n.a. | 150 | 100–150 | 75–150 | 113 | 75–150 |
| ≥ 1 week, 1200–2000 g | 100 | 60–90 | 150 | 100–150 | n.a. | 150 | 100–150 | 75–150 | 127 | 75–150 |
| ≥ 1 week, ≥ 2000 g | 150 | 60–90 | 150 | 200 | n.a. | 150 | 150 | 75–150 | 141 | 75–200 |
| Gentamicin (dose to start, mg−1 kg−1 day−1) | ||||||||||
| < 7 days, ≤ 2000 g | 2.5–3.3 | 3.0 | 2.0–5.0 | 2.5 | 4.0 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 3.3 | 3.0 | 2.0–5.0 |
| < 7 days, > 2000 g | 2.5–3.3 | 3.0 | 2.0–5.0 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 2.5 | 4 | 3.3 | 3.6 | 2.5–5.0 |
| ≥ 1 week, ≤ 1200 g | 4.0 | 3.2 | 4.0 | 3.3 | 4.0 | 2.5–5.0 | 3.3 | 5.0 | 3.7 | 2.2–8.0 |
| ≥ 1 week, 1200–2000 g | 4.0 | 3.2 | 4.0 | 3.3 | 4.0 | 2.5–5.0 | 3.3 | 5.0 | 4.3 | 1.9–8.0 |
| ≥ 1 week, ≥ 2000 g | 4.0 | 3.2 | 4.0 | 4.5 | 4.0 | 2.5–5.0 | 4.5 | 5.0 | 4.7 | 1.9–8.0 |
| Meropenem (mg−1 kg−1 day−1) | ||||||||||
| < 7 days, ≤ 2000 g | 40 | 60 | 20–30 | 40 | n.a. | 40 | 40 | 40 | 41 | 20–60 |
| < 7 days, > 2000 g | 40 | 60 | 20–30 | 60 | n.a. | 60 | 60 | 40 | 46 | 20–60 |
| ≥ 1 week, ≤ 1200 g | 60 | 90 | 20–30 | 60 | n.a. | 60–90 | 60 | 59 | 20–90 | |
| ≥ 1 week, 1200–2000 g | 60 | 90 | 20–30 | 60 | n.a. | 60–90 | 40 | 60 | 54 | 20–90 |
| ≥ 1 week, ≥ 2000 g | 60 | 90 | 20–30 | 60–90 | n.a. | 60–90 | 60–90 | 60 | 64 | 20–90 |
| Vancomycin (mg−1 kg−1 day−1) | ||||||||||
| < 7 days, ≤ 2000 g | 20 | 13.3–30 | 25 | b.scr. | 45 | b.scr. | 20 | 22.5 | 24 | 15–45 |
| < 7 days, > 2000 g | 20 | 13.3–30 | 25 | b.scr. | 45 | b.scr. | 30 | 22.5 | 27 | 15–45 |
| ≥ 1 week, ≤ 1200 g | 30 | 13.3–30 | 17.5 | b.scr. | 45 | b.scr. | 15 | 22.5 | 24 | 15–45 |
| ≥ 1 week, 1200–2000 g | 30 | 13.3–30 | 17.5 | b.scr. | 45 | b.scr. | 30 | 22.5 | 27 | 15–45 |
| ≥ 1 week, ≥ 2000 g | 48 | 13.3–30 | 17.5 | b.scr. | 45 | b.scr. | 40–45 | 22.5 | 30 | 15–60 |
DPF Dutch Paediatric Formulary, BNFC The British National Formulary for children, aRDD average recommended daily dosage, mg milligrams, kg kilograms, IU international units, n.a. not available, b.scr. based on serum creatinine
aInstead of ampicillin, amoxicillin is used in the Netherlands. The DPF provides amoxicillin dose recommendations