Centre for Clinical Research

Antimicrobial optimisation group - Research

Critically ill patients often have varying physiological needs compared to the average patient and often require different dosage of antibiotics and other drugs, particularly if they are on life sustaining organ support such as extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) or continuous renal replacement therapies (CRRT). There is also controversy over whether a single dose of a drug or other substance given over a short period of time (called bolus dosing), or continuous infusion of β-lactams is more effective in delivering the right amount of antibiotic in critically ill patients. Professor Lipman has pioneered a large body of work which demonstrates that patients in intensive care units (ICU) do not receive optimal levels of antibiotics to kill the disease or infection-causing pathogens. This in turn leads to poorer health outcomes for patients as well as resistance to antibiotic treatment. Antibiotic resistant infections commonly occur in long stay, debilitated patients and increase the risk of death; result in longer ICU and hospital stay, physical weakness and long-term dysfunction. This contributes to patients being stuck in the ICU or hospital, worsening the shortage of acute-care hospital beds and increasing surgery waiting time.