Introduction: Vancomycin is a glycopeptide antibiotic that is considered
as the drug of choice against many Gram-positive bacterial infections,
especially Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Also, it
is a hydrophilic drug with predominantly renal elimination. Given the
vancomycin narrow therapeutic index, therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM)
is essential to achieve an optimum clinical response and avoid
vancomycin-induced adverse drug reactions including nephrotoxicity and
ototoxicity. Although different studies are available on vancomycin
pharmacokinetic assessment and vancomycin TDM, still there are
controversies regarding the selection among different pharmacokinetic
parameters including trough concentration (Cmin), the daily area under
the curve to minimum inhibitory concentration (AUC24h/MIC) ratio, AUC of
intervals (AUCτ), elimination constant (k), vancomycin clearance (ClV)
and methods of their calculations for TDM purposes. Methods: In this
review, different pharmacokinetic parameters for vancomycin TDM have
been discussed in detail along with corresponding advantages and
disadvantages, based on the literature review. Determination of
vancomycin concentration at steady state (Css) during 24h continuous
injection are mentioned. Also, vancomycin pharmacokinetic assessments
are discussed in detail in patients with altered pharmacokinetic
parameters including those with renal and/or hepatic failure, critically
ill patients, patients with burn injuries, intravenous (IV) drug users,
obese and morbidly obese patients, those with cancer, patients
undergoing organ transplantation, and vancomycin administration during
pregnancy and lactation. Results and Discussion: An individualized
dosing regimen is required to guarantee the optimum therapeutic results
and minimize severe adverse reactions such as acute kidney injury (AKI)
in these special groups of patients with altered pharmacokinetic
parameters. Also, according to the pharmacoeconomic data on vancomycin
TDM, pharmacokinetic assessments would be cost-effective in the
mentioned groups of patients with altered pharmacokinetics and
associated with shorter hospitalization period, faster clinical
stability status, and shorter courses of inpatient vancomycin
administration.