Gentamicin pharmacokinetics in kwashiorkor.

1 Single dose intravenous gentamicin kinetics (2.4 mg/kg) were studied in six children with kwashiorkor. It was observed, that therapeutic drug concentrations were achieved which should be neither oto- nor nephrotoxic. 2 Due to the diminished glomerular filtration and renal plasma flow seen in the acute phase of kwashiorkor, gentamicin half-life was prolonged (229.0 +/- 94.8 min) at this time returning to normal (178.5 +/- 99.5 min) with nutritional rehabilitation.