Iohexol-measured glomerular filtration rate and urinary biomarker changes between vancomycin and vancomycin plus piperacillin-tazobactam in a translational rat model

Recent clinical studies have reported additive nephrotoxicity with the combination of vancomycin and piperacillin-tazobactam. However, preclinical models have failed to replicate this finding. This study assessed differences in iohexol-measured glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and urinary injury biomarkers among rats receiving this antibiotic combination. Male Sprague-Dawley rats received either intravenous vancomycin, intraperitoneal piperacillin-tazobactam, or both for 96 hours. Iohexol-measured GFR was used to quantify real-time kidney function changes. Kidney injury was evaluated via the urinary biomarkers: kidney injury molecule-1 (KIM-1), clusterin, and osteopontin. Compared to the control, rats that received vancomycin had numerically lower GFR after drug dosing on day 3. Rats in this group also had elevations in urinary KIM-1 on experimental days 2 and 4. Increasing urinary KIM-1 was found to correlate with decreasing GFR on experimental days 1 and 3. Rats that received vancomycin+piperacillin-tazobactam did not exhibit worse kidney function or injury biomarkers compared to vancomycin alone. The combination of vancomycin+piperacillin-tazobactam does not cause additive nephrotoxicity in a translational rat model. Future clinical studies investigating this antibiotic combination should employ more sensitive biomarkers of kidney function and injury, similar to those utilized in this study.