Prolonged Stability of Stored Vancomycin, Gentamicin, and Heparin for Use in the Antibiotic-Lock Technique

Antibiotic lock therapy: review of technique and logistical challenges

Antibiotic lock therapy (ALT) for the prevention and treatment of catheter-related bloodstream infections is a simple strategy in theory, yet its real-world application may be delayed or avoided due to technical questions and/or logistical challenges. This review focuses on these latter aspects of ALT, including preparation information for a variety of antibiotic lock solutions (ie, aminoglycosides, beta-lactams, fluoroquinolones, folate antagonists, glycopeptides, glycylcyclines, lipopeptides, oxazolidinones, polymyxins, and tetracyclines) and common clinical issues surrounding ALT administration. Detailed data regarding concentrations, additives, stability/compatibility, and dwell times are summarized. Logistical challenges such as lock preparation procedures, use of additives (eg, heparin, citrate, or ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid), timing of initiation and therapy duration, optimal dwell time and catheter accessibility, and risks of ALT are also described. Development of local protocols is recommended in order to avoid these potential barriers and encourage utilization of ALT where appropriate.

Stability and compatibility of antimicrobial lock solutions

PURPOSE

Published stability and compatibility data on a growing array of solutions used for antimicrobial lock therapy (ALT) are reviewed.

SUMMARY

ALT involves the instillation of a highly concentrated antimicrobial, often in combination with an anticoagulant, into a central venous catheter (CVC) lumen; this technique is often used for prophylaxis after CVC insertion or as an adjunctive treatment in cases of central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI) if catheter removal is not feasible. Optimal selection of stable and compatible antimicrobials and additives can maximize catheter dwell times, streamline pharmacy compounding practices, and help ensure patient safety. Of 98 articles on ALT solutions identified in a literature search, 17 met the prespecified criteria for the use of validated stability and compatibility methodology. Antimicrobials active against common CLABSI pathogens that may be appropriate for ALT include cefazolin, cefotaxime, ceftazidime, ciprofloxacin, daptomycin, gentamicin, linezolid, telavancin, ticarcillin-clavulanic acid, and vancomycin; validated data demonstrate the stability of these agents in solution with heparin or nonheparin anticoagulants over 72-96 hours or longer. Other antifungal agents and antiinfectives (e.g., ethyl alcohol) have been used in specific patients and ALT situations. The prolonged stability of several antimicrobial-additive combinations may allow for extended dwell times and less frequent lock solution exchanges.

CONCLUSION

Pharmacists' knowledge of diverse combinations of antimicrobial agents and additives in lock solutions, including several shown to be stable and compatible for extended periods, can help expand and optimize the use of ALT in both treatment and prophylactic modalities.

Stability of trisodium citrate and gentamicin solution for catheter locks after storage in plastic syringes at room temperature

BACKGROUND

Catheter-related infections are a major problem for hemodialysis patients with central venous catheters for vascular access. Catheter lock solutions containing an anticoagulant are used to maintain the patency of the catheter between hemodialysis sessions. There is evidence that the use of lock solutions containing an antibiotic is associated with lower rates of infection but also that these solutions can kill microbes in colonized catheters and thus avoid the risks and costs associated with replacing the catheter.

OBJECTIVE

This stability study was conducted to determine whether an extemporaneously prepared gentamicin-citrate catheter lock solution would retain its potency over time, thus allowing for advance preparation of the solution.

METHODS

Catheter lock solutions containing gentamicin alone, citrate alone, and the combination of gentamicin and citrate were prepared aseptically and packaged in polyethylene syringes. The syringes were stored at room temperature. At timed intervals over 112 days, samples were withdrawn for analysis by means of validated high-performance liquid chromatography.

RESULTS

None of the 3 lock solutions showed any evidence of degradation during the 112-day observation period. In the formulation containing both gentamicin 2.5 mg/mL and sodium citrate 40 mg/mL (4%), there was no change in the concentration of either gentamicin (p = 0.34) or citrate (p = 0.55). Linear regression analysis of the concentration-time data for the combined formulation showed that 99.97% of the labelled amount of gentamicin and 101.30% of the labelled amount of citrate remained at day 112. The lower limit of the 95% confidence intervals indicated that more than 98.17% of the gentamicin and more than 99.57% of the citrate remained on day 112.

CONCLUSION

The results of this study will allow pharmacies to extemporaneously compound the combined gentamicin-citrate catheter lock solution in advance of use. The method described here will yield a stable product for use in clinical applications.

[Stability: a factor to consider in antibiotic-lock solutions]

Antibiotic-lock therapy (ALT) has been related to a reduction in the need for catheter withdrawal in patients with catheter-related infection. The stability of the antimicrobial solutions used in ALT has not been sufficiently investigated. A systematic literature review was performed to identify articles including studies on the stability of ALT solutions. Nine studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria requiring specific drug determination techniques, and no apparent drug alterations were observed. The main microorganisms studied were Staphylococcus spp., Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Klebsiella pneumoniae. The antibiotics included cefazolin, ceftazidime, ciprofloxacin, colistin, gentamicin, ticarcillin/clavulanate, and vancomycin in solution, administered alone or in combinations, with or without heparin. All solutions were fairly stable except for ciprofloxacin at a concentration of 10mg/mL. Few studies applied strict criteria to assess the stability of antibiotic solutions used in ALT; hence, the currently available data are limited. Therefore, it seems advisable to include appropriate stability studies in further research on the use of ALT.

Effect of antimicrobial locks for tunneled hemodialysis catheters on bloodstream infection and bacterial resistance: a quality improvement report

BACKGROUND

Catheter-restricted antimicrobial lock (AML) use reduces catheter-associated bloodstream infection (CA-BSI) in clinical trial settings, but may not be as effective in clinical settings and may increase bacterial resistance.

DESIGN

Quality improvement report analyzed using a cross-sectional time series (unbalanced panel) design.

SETTING & PARTICIPANTS

The study cohort comprised all prevalent adults treated with hemodialysis through a tunneled catheter for any, but not necessarily all, of the time from January 1, 2003, to June 30, 2006, in Manukau City, New Zealand (135,346 catheter-days, 404 tunneled catheters, 320 patients).

QUALITY IMPROVEMENT PLAN

Catheter-restricted AMLs (heparin plus gentamicin) for all tunneled catheters from July 1, 2004.

MEASURES

Repeated observations of CA-BSI, hospitalization, tunneled catheter removal, and death from CA-BSI analyzed by using generalized estimating equations with a single level of clustering for each tunneled catheter and patterns of bacterial resistance analyzed by using simple descriptive statistics.

RESULTS

AML use was associated with reductions in rates of CA-BSI and hospitalization for CA-BSI by 52% and 69% for patients with tunneled catheters locked continuously with AMLs since their insertion compared with those with tunneled catheters that were not, respectively. AML exposure also was associated with a trend to increased gentamicin resistance amongst coagulase-negative staphylococci isolates, a pattern similar to that observed for BSIs in our general hemodialysis population in which tunneled catheters were not the source of BSI, but different from that in the general non-end-stage renal disease population in the region.

LIMITATIONS

This is an uncontrolled observational study and cannot prove causality. The follow-up period of 18 months is longer than for other studies, but still too short to definitely answer whether AML use drives bacterial resistance.

CONCLUSIONS

A change to use of AMLs may improve clinical outcomes; however, additional study of associated bacterial resistance is needed before AML use becomes standard care.

Antimicrobial locks: putting the lock on catheter infections

Infectious complications resulting from catheter use in the hemodialysis population remain as the significant cause of morbidity and mortality in this patient population. Because conservation of vascular access sites remains a therapeutic mainstay for chronic hemodialysis patients, clinical investigators have evaluated the safety and efficacy of catheter preservation with antimicrobial lock solutions instilled into the lumens of catheters to treat and prevent infectious complications. The recommended treatment of catheter-related bacteremia includes administration of systemic antibiotics with catheter removal. To date, 4 studies in the hemodialysis population have evaluated the use of systemic antibiotics with an antimicrobial lock solution for treatment of catheter-related bacteremias to amplify the success of catheter salvage. The use of antimicrobial lock solutions for the treatment of catheter-related bacteremia has resulted in successful catheter salvage in approximately 69% of patients, with the remainder requiring catheter removal following a lack of clinical improvement after 48 hours. The antimicrobial lock has also been studied as a prophylactic measure to prevent catheter-related bacteremia. Six studies in the hemodialysis population have evaluated the use of an antimicrobial lock for the prevention of catheter-related bacteremia with an overall 64%-100% reduction in the frequency of catheter-related bacteremia. Although the use of antimicrobial lock for prophylaxis has demonstrated efficacy in clinical trials, its long-term consequences, including potential impact on antimicrobial resistance, are unknown. The objectives of this review are to evaluate the current body of evidence espousing the utilization of an antimicrobial lock solution in tunneled cuffed and uncuffed catheters that are utilized during chronic intermittent hemodialysis.