Antibiotic Dosing from a General Analytic Perspective
Research Poster Physical Sciences & Mathematics 2025 Graduate ExhibitionPresentation by Leah Childers
Exhibition Number 189
Abstract
Determining optimal antibiotic dosing strategies is complex. Clinically, some antibiotics work best in continuous low doses, while others require high repeated pulses. However, the best approach for any antibiotic and bacterial infection remains unclear. Using mathematical models, we analyze bacterial populations under two strategies - constant concentration and repeated dosing - given fixed pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic properties. Our results reveal that the shape of the dose-response curve, which measures bacterial net growth rate against antibiotic concentration, is crucial. Specifically, its concavity determines the optimal dosing strategy. In cases where the curve exhibits multiple concavities, additional factors such as desired or tolerable dosing range influence the regimen. These findings challenge the universal application of “hit hard and hit early,” as some recommended schedules include lower, constant doses. This work contributes to the literature on rational antibiotic prescription, aiming to minimize antibiotic use and combat antimicrobial resistance.
Importance
Determining optimal antibiotic dosing strategies is crucial for combatting the global crisis of antibiotic resistance, however it is a complex question. When dosing antibiotics, we wish to use as little drug as possible while remaining as effective as possible. In a clinical setting, some antibiotics have been known to work best in lower, constant doses (such as IVs), while some antibiotics work better when higher, periodic doses are administered (such as repeated injections or pills). In our work, we aim to employ pharmacological research in an analytic (mathematical) setting to determine a more general rule for which dosing strategies work best for any given antibiotic while taking into consideration a notion of a limited supply of the drug.