Re: 'Is a randomized trial of a short course of aminoglycoside added to beta-lactam antibiotics for empirical treatment in critically ill patients with sepsis justified?' Pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic considerations

Abstract

Dear Sir, We read with interest the comments from Ong et al. [1] regarding the need for a well-designed randomized controlled trial (RCT) to provide evidence to guide clinicians regarding the use of combined β-lactam antibiotic and aminoglycoside therapy for the management of critically ill patients with sepsis or septic shock. We would like to highlight the importance of appropriate dosing strategies and the inclusion of pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) sub-studies to provide further evidence about the potential utility of combination therapy.