Short and long term side effect of colistin treatment in preterm infants.

In this study, 47 premature infants were evaluated in terms of their serum creatinine, AST, ALT and electrolytes before and during colistin use; the relationship between these parameters and colistin use was investigated. Among the side effects, the researchers emphasized that acute kidney injury (AKI) was the most prevalent, occurring in 17% of cases. They also reported that AKI had a significant relationship to gestational age and aminoglycoside use. In the study, the notable electrolyte disorders that colistin use was associated with were hypomagnesemia, hypocalcemia and hypokalemia. This study found a link between hepatotoxicity and colistin use, which has not been mentioned as a side effect by similar studies conducted in the past. The study also reported that colistin less frequently caused AKI in premature newborns compared to pediatric patients, and that electrolyte disorders were more common in these newborns, indicating that they should be monitored for electrolyte imbalances, especially hypomagnesemia.