Exploring population variability of antimicrobial epithelial lining fluid penetration in patients with VAP.

This study will use the network of international ICUs to collect plasma and epithelial lining fluid (ELF) data from a wide range of ICU patients treated for lung infections.

This project will be highly valuable in describing the population variability in ELF penetration of antimicrobials including meropenem, piperacillin, ceftriaxone, ceftazidime, cefepime, ciprofloxacin, vancomycin and linezolid.

The data for meropenem, piperacillin, benzylpenicillin and ceftriaxone from Project 2a, will be able to be combined to define robust dosing regimens that achieve therapeutic ELF exposures for these agents. For the remaining antimicrobials, we will use this new knowledge of PK variability to describe the attainment of therapeutic target-site concentrations with contemporary dosing.