Development of a dosing algorithm for meropenem in critically ill patients based on a population pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic analysis.

•Adequate dosing resulting in effective exposure is crucial for therapeutic success.•Renal function is a vital determinant for achieving effective antibiotic exposure.•Standard dosing is ineffective for high renal function and less-susceptible pathogens.•We propose an intuitive 3-level meropenem dosing algorithm in critically ill patients.•The 3-level algorithm considers renal function and level of knowledge about the pathogen.