Vancomycin dosing in hospitalized children by weight status: a systematic review

Purpose In children, providers commonly use total body weight for calculating the appropriate medication dose. However, variability in body composition may cause inaccurate dosing. Children with obesity have greater fat mass, higher total body water percentage, and greater fat-free mass than children at a normal weight. Vancomycin is a commonly prescribed medication in hospitalized pediatric patients that carries potential for significant harm with both overdosing or underdosing. This study aimed to determine whether children having overweight or obesity have increased vancomycin levels compared with children …