Evaluation of Weight-Based Co-trimoxazole Dosing in a Saudi Tertiary Hospital

Abstract

Background: Infections caused by Stenotrophomonas maltophilia (S. maltophilia) and Pneumocystis jirovecii (Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PJP)) require weight-based dosing for co-trimoxazole. The aim of this study is to assess the appropriateness of co-trimoxazole dosing in adult inpatients for the treatment of these infections.Methodology: This is a single-center, cross-sectional study that included adult inpatients treated with cotrimoxazole for a weight-based dose indication (S. maltophilia and PJP). The primary outcome was the appropriateness of co-trimoxazole dosing for these infections.Results: Forty-three patients were included in the study. Of the 43 patients, 29 (67.4%) were using cotrimoxazole for PJP treatment, and 14 (32.6%) were using it for S. maltophilia treatment. The co-trimoxazole dose was appropriate in 22 (51.2%) patients, 21 (72.4%) in the PJP treatment group, and one (7.1%) in the S. maltophilia treatment group. Underdosing was observed in 21 (48.8%) patients, of whom eight (27.6%) were in the PJP treatment group and 13 (92.9%) were in the S. maltophilia treatment group.Conclusions: This study found a relatively high rate of underdosing of co-trimoxazole based on weight in hospitalized adults with PJP and S. maltophilia infections.