Ofloxacin pharmacokinetics in renal failure.

The pharmacokinetics of ofloxacin were investigated in 12 normal subjects and 21 uremic patients after the administration of a single oral 200-mg dose. An open three-compartment body model was used to calculate ofloxacin pharmacokinetic parameters. In healthy subjects, the peak plasma level averaged 2.24 +/- 0.90 micrograms/ml and was obtained at 0.83 +/- 0.31 h. The absorption rate constant was 4.22 +/- 1.64 h-1. The terminal half-life was 7.86 +/- 1.81 h. The apparent volume of distribution was 2.53 +/- 0.78 liters/kg. Total body and renal clearances were 241.4 +/- 53.8 and 196.5 +/- 42.9 ml/min per 1.73 m2, respectively. A total of 68.4 +/- 11.9% of the dose was recovered unchanged in 24-h urine. In uremic patients, the terminal half-life increased in relation to the degree of renal failure: from 8 h in normal subjects to 37 h in severely uremic patients. Renal insufficiency did not significantly modify the peak plasma level, the apparent volume of distribution, the fractional clearance, or the nonrenal clearance of ofloxacin. However, the time to peak level was delayed in patients with creatinine clearance of less than 30 ml/min. Linear relationships were found between ofloxacin pharmacokinetic parameters and glomerular filtration rate data. Ofloxacin is only very slightly removed by hemodialysis. Dosage adjustments of ofloxacin in uremic patients are proposed.     

Pharmacokinetics of zidovudine (AZT) and its metabolite (G-AZT) in healthy subjects and in patients with kidney failure

Pharmacokinetics of zidovudine was investigated after oral administration (200 mg) in 25 HIV seronegative subjects: 14 patients with severe renal impairment (creatinine clearance 6 to 31 ml/min), 5 hemodialyzed anuric patients, and 6 healthy subjects. In healthy subjects, G. AZT concentrations are higher than those of AZT; AUC were 23.7 +/- 1.9 and 5.2 +/- 0.6 mumol.h/l respectively. Formation of G. AZT rate-limits its elimination: G. AZT half-life parallels that of AZT which is around 1 hour. In uremic patients AZT concentrations are moderately increased (AUC = 11.7 +/- 1.1 mumol.h/l), whereas half-life and MRT remains unchanged, despite the decreased renal clearance (16 +/- 2 vs 220 +/- 58 ml/min). In contrast G. AZT concentrations are markedly increased (AUC = 403 +/- 89 mumol.h/l). As a consequence of the decreased renal clearance (27 +/- 3 vs 331 +/- 42 ml/min), elimination is the rate limiting step and half-life is increased (8 +/- 2 vs 0.9 +/- 0.1 h). Contribution of a 4-hour hemodialysis session to AZT elimination appears negligible whereas elimination of G. AZT is enhanced.     

Pharmacokinetics of ceftazidime in normal and uremic subjects.

The pharmacokinetics of ceftazidime, administered as a single intravenous dose of 15 mg/kg given in a bolus injection over 3 min, were investigated in 5 normal subjects and in 19 uremic patients. The subjects studied were divided into five groups according to values for endogenous creatinine clearance (CLCR): group I, five subjects with CLCR greater than 80 ml/min; group II, five patients with CLCR = 30 to 80 ml/min; group III, six patients with CLCR = 10 to 30 ml/min; group IV, four patients with CLCR = 2 to 10 ml/min; and group V, four anuric patients on hemodialysis. A two-compartment open model was used to calculate the pharmacokinetic parameters. In normal subjects, the mean apparent elimination half-life was 1.57 +/- 0.13 h. The central distribution volume and the apparent volume of distribution were 0.127 +/- 0.023 and 0.230 +/- 0.015 liter/kg, respectively. Of the injected dose, 83.6 +/- 3.6% was eliminated in the urine as parent drug within 24 h. The terminal half-life increased with impairment of renal function to about 25 h in severely uremic patients. Impairment of function did not significantly modify the half-life at alpha phase, central distribution volume, or apparent distribution volume. A 6- to 8-h hemodialysis procedure reduced concentrations of ceftazidime in plasma by approximately 88%, and the elimination half-life was 2.8 +/- 0.2 h. There was no evidence of accumulation of ceftazidime in four patients with severe and chronic impairment of function who received doses of 0.5 to 1.0 g every 24 h for 10 days.     

Pharmacokinetics of meropenem (ICI 194,660) and its metabolite (ICI 213,689) in healthy subjects and in patients with renal impairment.

The pharmacokinetics of meropenem (ICI 194,660) and its open-ring metabolite (ICI 213,689) were studied in 6 healthy volunteers and 16 patients with moderate to severe renal impairment after a single intravenous dose of 500 mg given as a 30-min infusion. Concentrations of unchanged meropenem in plasma and urine were measured by both microbiological and high-pressure liquid chromatographic (HPLC) assays. A good correlation was found between the two techniques. Pharmacokinetic parameters of unchanged meropenem were determined by using the HPLC data. The terminal half-life of unchanged meropenem increased in relation to the degree of renal impairment, being 1.2 h in subjects with normal renal function and 10 h in patients with end-stage renal failure. Total body clearance and renal clearance of unchanged meropenem are linearly related to creatinine clearance. The concentrations of the metabolite in plasma, which are very low in healthy subjects, significantly increased in uremic patients. The apparent half-life of ICI 213,689 increased in uremic patients and was about 35 h in patients with severe renal insufficiency. Meropenem and its metabolite are effectively removed by hemodialysis. The dialysis clearance of the unchanged drug was 81 +/- 22 ml/min. Dosage adjustments of meropenem will be necessary in patients with severe renal impairment.     

Didanosine pharmacokinetics in patients with normal and impaired renal function: influence of hemodialysis.

The pharmacokinetics of didanosine were investigated following oral administration of a single 375-mg dose to eight human immunodeficiency virus-seropositive patients with normal renal function and eight human immunodeficiency virus-seropositive uremic patients. In uremic patients, the plasma half-life was longer than that in control patients (respectively, 4.5 +/- 2.2 and 1.6 +/- 0.4 h). The ratio of total plasma clearance to absolute bioavailability was four- to fivefold lower in uremic patients than in patients with normal renal function (respectively, 491 +/- 181 and 2,277 +/- 738 ml/min). Because of the decrease in elimination, concentrations in plasma were higher for uremic patients than for control patients; the maximum concentrations of drug in plasma were, respectively, 3,978 +/- 1,607 and 1,948 +/- 994 ng/ml; the areas under the concentration-time curve were, respectively, 14,050 +/- 4,262 and 3,000 +/- 956 ng.h/ml. Didanosine was removed by hemodialysis with an extraction ratio of 53% +/- 8%, a hemodialysis clearance value of 107 +/- 21 ml/min, and a fractional drug removal during a 4-h dialysis of 20% +/- 8% of the dose. Dosage adjustments are necessary in uremic patients.     

Pharmacokinetics of moxalactam in subjects with normal and impaired renal function

The pharmacokinetics of moxalactam were investigated in five subjects with normal renal function and 21 uremic patients. Normal subjects were given intravenous doses of 7.5 and 15 mg of the drug per kg as bolus injections (1 min) and 30 mg of the drug per kg as a 20-min infusion. Pharmacokinetic data, calculated by using a two-compartment open body model, were similar for the three intravenous doses: the t 1/2 alpha value was within 0.12 to 0.20 h, the t 1/2 beta value was 1.98 to 2.05 h, the central distribution volume (Vc) was 3.81 to 7.04 liters/1.73 m2, and the apparent volume of distribution at steady state (Vdss) was 9.12 to 13.36 liters/1.73 m2, i.e., 13.7 to 20.2% of the body weight. From 82.0 to 97.7% of the dose was recovered, in unchanged form, in urine during 24 h. After a single intramuscular dose of 15 mg/kg in the same subjects with normal renal function, the mean peak serum levels, occurring at 0.95 +/- 0.37 h, were 48.28 +/- 11.81 microgram/ml, the t 1/2 beta value was 2.22 +/- 0.16 h, the renal clearance (CR) was 87.5 +/- 9.4 ml/min per 1.73 m2, and 96.9 +/- 12.7% of the injected dose was found in 24-h urine. Pharmacokinetic data were similar for the two routes of administration. In uremic patients, the t 1/2 beta increased according to the severity of renal failure; it was 4.83 h in patients with creatinine clearances (Ccr) within 30 to 60 ml/min per 1.73 m2, 8.42 h for Ccr values within 10 to 30 ml/min, and 18.95 h in hemodialysis patients. During a 4- to 6-h dialysis session, the t 1/2 beta value was 3.65 h and 51% of the drug was removed by dialysis. The apparent volume of distribution at steady state increased in patients with Ccr values below 10 ml/min; serum and renal clearances decreased in uremic patients, and the nonrenal clearances remained constant in all these patients. From these pharmacokinetic results, linear relationships were found between the kinetic data and the biological parameters of the glomerular filtration rate. Dosage schedules were established, adapted to the degree of renal impairment.     

Pharmacokinetics of meropenem in subjects with various degrees of renal impairment.

Five healthy volunteers and 18 patients with various degrees of renal impairment received 500 mg of meropenem intravenously as a 30-min infusion. Five dialysis patients were dosed 2 h prior to hemodialysis, and four of them were also dosed between hemodialysis treatments. Plasma and urine samples were collected for up to 48 h and 12 h, respectively. Concentrations of meropenem and its open ring metabolite ICI 213,689 were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography and radioimmunoassay, respectively. The subjects were divided into four groups with glomerular filtration rates (GFR) of greater than 80, 30 to 80, 5 to 29, or less than 5 ml/min. There were linear correlations between the GFR and the rates for total plasma clearance as well as renal clearance of meropenem (group mean values for total clearance of 186, 74, 53, and 19 ml/min/1.73 m2, respectively). In subjects with normal renal function, nonrenal clearance accounted for approximately 20% of total elimination, increasing to about 50% in patients with GFR between 5 and 29 ml/min/1.73 m2. The terminal half-life of meropenem increased from 0.9 h in the healthy volunteers to 6.8 h in patients with end-stage renal disease. The half-life of ICI 213,689 was 2.31 h in the healthy volunteers and increased to 23.6 h in patients with GFR of 5 to 29 ml/min. In patients with end-stage renal disease, half-lives could not be measured, as concentrations were hardly declining during the 48-h observation period. The area under the concentration-time curve for meropenem increased more than 10-fold. Both meropenem and its open ring metabolite were readily dialyzable, with dialysis clearances of 79 and 81 ml/min/1.73 m2, respectively.     

Pharmacokinetics of cefoperazone (2.0 g) and sulbactam (1.0 g) coadministered to subjects with normal renal function, patients with decreased renal function, and patients with end-stage renal disease on hemodialysis.

The single-dose pharmacokinetics of intravenously administered cefoperazone (2.0 g) and sulbactam (1.0 g) were studied in normal subjects and in patients with various degrees of renal failure. In an open, parallel experimental design, six normal subjects (creatinine clearance, greater than 90 ml/min), two patients with mild renal failure (creatinine clearance, 31 to 60 ml/min), eight patients with moderate renal failure (creatinine clearance, 7 to 30 ml/min), and four functionally anephric patients (creatinine clearance, less than 7 ml/min) were studied. The functionally anephric patients were given two test doses to allow study of drug disposition both on and off hemodialysis. Serial blood and urine samples were collected from time zero to 12 h after dosing in normal subjects and from 0 to 72 h in renal patients. Serum concentrations of both drugs declined biexponentially. For cefoperazone, the terminal elimination half-lives averaged from 1.6 to 3.0 h and were similar in subjects and patients. No cefoperazone pharmacokinetic parameters were appreciably altered by renal failure or hemodialysis, and there was no correlation between the total body clearance of cefoperazone and estimated creatinine clearance. In contrast, the sulbactam total body clearance was highly correlated with estimated creatinine clearance (r = 0.92, P less than 0.01) and was significantly higher in normal volunteers than in the renally impaired groups (P less than 0.01). The sulbactam terminal elimination half-life in functionally anephric patients (9.7 +/- 5.3 h) differed significantly from that of normal volunteers (1.0 +/- 0.2 h) and patients with mild renal failure (1.7 +/- 0.7 h, P less than 0.05).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Steady-state pharmacokinetics and sputum penetration of lomefloxacin in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and acute respiratory tract infections.

Oral doses of 400 mg of lomefloxacin were administered once daily prior to breakfast to 10 middle-aged to elderly hospitalized patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease during treatment for bronchopulmonary infections. Serial plasma and sputum samples and fractional urine samples were obtained over a steady-state dosing interval. Lomefloxacin concentrations were determined in duplicate by a validated agar well diffusion microbiological assay. The maximum plasma lomefloxacin concentration (4.5 +/- 1.8 mg/liter), the time of occurrence of the maximum concentration (1.7 +/- 1.6 h), and the apparent volume of distribution associated with the terminal phase (2.19 +/- 1.05 liter/kg) were comparable to the values reported for healthy, young volunteers. Compared with the data reported for young adults, the elimination half-life (12.7 +/- 4.67 h) was longer and the apparent total body clearance (132 +/- 36.6 ml/min/1.73 m2) was lower in middle-aged to elderly patients. These differences were most likely attributable to age-related decreases in renal function, as evidenced by the lower lomefloxacin renal clearance (70.3 +/- 33.5 ml/min) in patients. The presence of acute respiratory infection per se did not appear to alter lomefloxacin pharmacokinetics. The peak lomefloxacin concentration in purulent, expectorated sputum samples of 4.3 +/- 1.2 mg/liter occurred 3.1 +/- 1.7 h after dose administration and subsequently declined to 1.7 +/- 0.5 mg/liter at the end of the 24-h dosing interval. The percent penetration into sputum, as assessed by comparing the area under the curve for sputum and plasma samples, was 120 +/- 39.8 (range, 70 to 185). The steady-state lomefloxacin concentrations in plasma and sputum samples from ill, older patients were in excess of the MICs for 90% of the strains tested of common, susceptible respiratory pathogens over most of the dosing interval.     

Pharmacokinetics of ampicillin (2.0 grams) and sulbactam (1.0 gram) coadministered to subjects with normal and abnormal renal function and with end-stage renal disease on hemodialysis.

The single-dose pharmacokinetics of intravenously administered ampicillin (2.0 g) and sulbactam (1.0 g) were studied in normal subjects and in patients with various degrees of creatinine clearance (CLCR). Six normal subjects (CLCR, greater than 60 ml/min), six patients with mild renal failure (CLCR, 31 to 60 ml/min), four patients with severe renal failure (CLCR, 7 to 30 ml/min), and four patients requiring maintenance hemodialysis (CLCR, less than 7 ml/min) were studied. The terminal half-lives for ampicillin and sulbactam more than doubled in patients with severe renal failure compared with subjects with normal renal function and mild renal insufficiency. CLCR significantly correlated with ampicillin (r = 0.88) and sulbactam (r = 0.54) total body clearance. Mean steady-state volume of distribution and nonrenal clearance for ampicillin and sulbactam were not affected by renal function. Hemodialysis approximately doubled the ampicillin and sulbactam total body clearance. Mean totals of 34.8 +/- 4.0% of the ampicillin dose and 44.7 +/- 3.2% of the sulbactam dose were removed during a 4-h hemodialysis treatment. A slight rebound in concentrations in serum after hemodialysis was observed for both drugs in all four subjects. In hemodialysis patients, the ampicillin half-life was 17.4 +/- 8.0 h and the sulbactam half-life was 13.4 +/- 7.4 h. The ampicillin and sulbactam half-lives were appreciably altered during the hemodialysis period (means of 2.2 and 2.3 h, respectively). The nearly parallel decrease in total body clearance, with volume of distribution and nonrenal clearance remaining relatively constant, suggests that the same ratio of ampicillin to sulbactam is appropriate regardless of renal function. An adjustment of the ampicillin (2.0 g) and sulbactam (1.0 g) dose to twice daily would be appropriate in patients with a CLCR between 7 and 30 ml/min. Doses should be given every 24 h for those undergoing maintenance hemodialysis. On hemodialysis days, doses should be given after hemodialysis.     

Disposition of roxithromycin in patients with normal and severely impaired renal function.

The disposition of roxithromycin, an investigational macrolide antibiotic, was evaluated in 20 subjects, 10 with normal renal function (creatinine clearance [CLCR] of 116 +/- 17 ml/min [mean +/- standard deviation]) and 10 with severely impaired renal function (CLCR of 10.2 +/- 2.6 ml/min) after a single 300-mg oral dose. Plasma concentration-time data were analyzed in terms of a one- or two-compartment oral absorption model utilizing nonlinear regression analysis. The terminal elimination half-life was significantly prolonged in the group with severely impaired renal function (15.5 +/- 4.7 h) compared with that of the group with normal renal function (7.9 +/- 2.5 h). Apparent total body clearance was significantly reduced in the renally impaired (25.3 +/- 10.5 ml/min) in relation to the group with normal renal function (48.8 +/- 11.1 ml/min). The first-order absorption rate constants and apparent volumes of distribution did not differ between the two groups. These data indicate that the disposition of roxithromycin is significantly delayed in subjects with CLCRs of less than 15 ml/min and suggest that the roxithromycin dosing interval be doubled for these patients.     

Pharmacokinetics of cefonicid in uraemic patients

Eight subjects with normal renal function and 20 uraemic patients with various degrees of renal insufficiency were given a single iv dose of 1.0 g cefonicid, as a bolus injection. Five groups of subjects were studied: group I, GFR greater than 80 ml/min, group II 30 less than GFR less than 80 ml/min, group III 10 less than GFR less than 30 ml/min, group IV GFR less than or equal to 10 ml/min and group V, haemodialysis patients. Cefonicid concentrations in plasma and urine were measured by microbiological assay (MA) and HPLC method. Results were similar with the two techniques. The mean peak plasma levels were 200-300 mg/l and the apparent volume of distribution was 0.18-0.20 1/kg for all patients. The elimination half-life (T 1(2) beta) increased as renal function decreased: 5.31 +/- 1.30 h in healthy subjects and 58.92 +/- 12.38 h in patients with end-stage renal disease. Urinary elimination of cefonicid was inversely related to the degree of renal impairment: 83% of the dose in 24 h in normal subjects and 13.6% of the dose in patients with severe renal failure. Total body clearance decreased from 23.9 +/- 3.4 ml/min/1.73 m2 (group I) to 1.9 +/- 0.2 ml/min/1.73 m2 (group V). Renal clearance fell from 19.0 +/- 4.9 ml/min/1.73 m2 (group I) to 1.0 +/- 0.4 ml/min/1.73 m2 (group IV). The fractional clearance and the non renal clearance were similar in normal subjects and in uraemic patients. Cefonicid is not haemodializable because of its high protein binding. Dosage of cefonicid should be adjusted according to the degree of renal impairment. Supplemental doses are not necessary after haemodialysis.     

Mezlocillin pharmacokinetics in patients with normal and impaired renal functions.

The pharmacokinetics of intravenous bolus doses of 1.0 g of mezlocillin were studied in 13 persons with normal and reduced renal functions. In renal failure a moderate increase was observed for the terminal serum half-life(t1/2 beta). This changed from a mean of 1.1 h at a glomerular filtration rate of 100 ml/min to 1.6 h at 10 ml/min. The difference was not statistically significant. The excretion of unchanged drug in urine during 24 h was reduced from a mean of 59.4% (range, 52 to 77) in subjects with glomerular filtration rate above 50 ml/min to 10% (range, 7.9 to 12.1) in two patients with glomerular filtration rate of 10 to 20 ml/min. The volume of distribution during the beta-phase, Vd,b, was 14% of the body weight. Much of the antibiotic was metabolized, and this proportion increased upon reduction in renal function.     

Pharmacokinetics of lomefloxacin in renally compromised patients

The single-dose pharmacokinetics of orally administered lomefloxacin (400 mg) were studied in normal subjects and in patients with various degrees of renal function. The subjects were classified by creatinine clearance (CLCR) normalized for body surface area: group 1, CLCR of greater than 80 ml/min/1.73 m2; group 2, CLCR of 80 to greater than 40 ml/min/1.73 m2; group 3, CLCR of 40 to greater than 10 ml/min/1.73 m2; and group 4, CLCR of less than or equal to 10 ml/min/1.73 m2. Each group consisted of eight subjects. The pharmacokinetics of lomefloxacin were significantly influenced by renal function. There were significant differences in the elimination rate constant, half-life, area under the concentration-time curve from 0 h to infinity, apparent total drug clearance, renal clearance, and apparent nonrenal drug clearance between the four renal function groups. Mean half-lives for groups 1, 2, 3, and 4 were 8.09, 9.11, 20.90, and 44.25 h, respectively. There were no significant differences between the renal groups for maximum concentration of the drug in serum and apparent volume of distribution. Age had no apparent effect on lomefloxacin disposition. There was a significant relationship between CLCR and lomefloxacin total body clearance (r = 0.92, P = 0.001) and renal clearance (r = 0.94, P = 0.001). Despite a predominate renal route of elimination, nonrenal lomefloxacin clearance significantly decreased with decreasing renal function (r = 0.72, P = 0.001). Mean lomefloxacin excretion rates over 48 h were 60.7, 56.0, 29.1, and 1.0% of the administered dose for groups 1, 2, 3, and 4, respectively. Mean glucuronide excretion rates over 48 h were 7.8, 6.3, 10.0, and 0.6% of the administered dose for groups 1, 2, 3, and 4, respectively. Hemodialysis had no effect on lomefloxacin concentrations in plasma. In patients with normal to moderate renal function, 400 mg of lomefloxacin per day should provide therapeutic concentrations in blood. The lomefloxacin dose should be reduced to 200 mg/day as the CL(CR) falls below 30 ml/min/1.73 m2. No additional dosage adjustments appear to be necessary for hemodialysis patients.     

Effects of probenecid on the pharmacokinetics and elimination of acyclovir in humans.

The effects of probenecid on the pharmacokinetics and renal clearance of acyclovir were studied in humans. Acyclovir (5 mg/kg) was given as a 1-h infusion to three volunteers with normal renal function both before and after oral administration of probenecid (1 g). The kinetics were well described by a two-compartment open model with zero-order infusion. The mean acyclovir concentrations at all time points after 1.0 h from the end of acyclovir infusion following probenecid administration were statistically higher than the corresponding mean acyclovir concentrations following the acyclovir infusion without probenecid administration. In the absence of probenecid, the renal clearance (248 +/- 80 ml/min per 1.73 m2) accounted for 83% of the total clearance (300 +/- 69 ml/min per 1.73 m2) and was almost threefold greater than the estimated creatinine clearance (90 +/- 48 ml/min per 1.73 m2). After probenecid administration, there was a 32% decline in renal clearance (248 to 168 ml/min per 1.73 m2; P less than or equal to 0.05), a 40% increase in the area under the curve (91.3 to 127.6 nmol.h/ml; P less than 0.05), and an 18% increase in the terminal plasma half-life (2.3 to 2.7 h; P less than 0.01). Although statistically significant, these effects due to the influence of probenecid probably have only limited clinical importance. In this study we confirmed that acyclovir is eliminated predominantly by renal clearance, both by glomerular filtration and tubular secretion; our results suggested that at least part of the tubular secretion is inhibited by probenecid.     

Effects of impaired renal function, hemodialysis, and peritoneal dialysis on the pharmacokinetics of mezlocillin

The pharmacokinetics of mezlocillin were examined in 8 patients with normal renal function (inulin clearance, > 80 ml/min per 1.73 m2), 32 patients with moderately reduced renal function (inulin clearances, 80 to 5 ml/min per 1.73 m2), and 12 patients maintained by hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis because of severely impaired renal function. A single dose of 60 mg of mezlocillin per kg of body weight was infused intravenously over 30 min. Antibiotic concentrations in plasma, urine, and dialysate were determined by the agar diffusion technique. The half-life of mezlocillin increased with decreasing renal function from an average of 53 min in subjects with normal function to 165 min in oligoanuric patients. The urinary recovery of this drug in 24 h decreased from 65% at a glomerular filtration rate of 92 ml/min to 7.6% at a glomerular filtration rate of 6.7 ml/min. Volume of distribution was not changed by the renal insufficiency, amounting on the average to 22.5% of body weight. Intermittent hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis contributed to only a minor degree to the 24-h mezlocillin kinetics. The pharmacokinetic properties of mezlocillin permit a normal dosage over wide ranges of renal insufficiency; however, when the glomerular filtration rate is below 10 ml/min, the dosage interval should be increased from 8 to 12 h.     

The pharmacokinetics of once-daily dosing of ceftriaxone in critically ill patients

The aim of this study was to determine the pharmacokinetic profile of the normal recommended dose of ceftriaxone in critically ill patients and to establish whether the current daily dosing recommendation maintains plasma concentrations adequate for antibacterial efficacy. Ceftriaxone at a recommended dose of 2 g iv was administered od to 12 critically ill patients with severe sepsis and normal serum creatinine concentrations. Blood samples were taken at pre-determined intervals over the first 24 h and on day 3 for measurement of ceftriaxone concentrations. There was wide variability in drug disposition, explained by the presence of variable renal function and identified by the measurement of creatinine clearance. In nine patients with normal renal function, there was a high level of creatinine clearance (mean +/- S.D., 41 +/- 12 mL/min) and volume of distribution (20 +/- 3.3 L), which resulted in an elimination half-life of 6.4 +/- 1.1 h. In comparison with normal subjects, ceftriaxone clearance was increased 100%, volume of distribution increased 90% and the elimination half-life was similar. Three patients had substantially suboptimal plasma ceftriaxone concentrations. We confirm previous findings that ceftriaxone clearance in critically ill patients correlates with renal clearance by glomerular filtration. The elimination half-life is prolonged (21.4 +/- 9.8 h) in critically ill patients with renal failure when compared with previously published data in non-critically ill patients with renal failure. We conclude that in critically ill patients with normal renal function, inadequate plasma concentrations may result following od bolus dosing of ceftriaxone. Drug accumulation may occur in critically ill patients with renal failure.     

Pharmacokinetics and metabolism of intravenous and oral fleroxacin in subjects with normal and impaired renal function and in patients on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis.

The pharmacokinetics of fleroxacin, including the formation of N-demethyl and N-oxide fleroxacin after the administration of single intravenous (100-mg) and oral (400-mg) doses, was investigated in 26 subjects with various levels of renal function, including 7 patients on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis. Fleroxacin was well tolerated by all subjects. The volume of distribution, systemic availability, and peak concentration after the administration of oral fleroxacin were independent of the glomerular filtration rate. As a consequence of a declining renal clearance but not nonrenal clearance, the total body clearance of fleroxacin declined with decreasing glomerular filtration rate from 1.41 +/- 0.23 ml/min per kg in subjects with normal renal function to 0.58 +/- 0.13 ml/min per kg in patients with end-stage renal disease (r = 0.84, P less than 0.001). The analysis revealed that the N-oxide metabolite exhibited formation-limited kinetics and the N-demethyl metabolite exhibited elimination-limited kinetics. The areas under the curve of both metabolites increased with declining renal function. In patients on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis the mean dialysate/plasma concentration ratio of fleroxacin increased from 0.52 +/- 0.11 to 0.71 +/- 0.13 (P less than 0.001) with increasing dwell time, resulting in a 7.8 +/- 3.6% recovery of unchanged fleroxacin in peritoneal dialysate. In conclusion, (i) a 50% reduction of the maintenance dose is recommended in patients with a renal function below 20 to 30 ml/min per 1.73 m2, and (ii) therapeutic concentrations of fleroxacin in the peritoneal dialysate should be achievable after oral administration in patients on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis.     

Pharmacokinetics of amikacin during continuous veno-venous hemofiltration

We studied the pharmacokinetics of amikacin in a patient with acute oliguric renal failure during continuous veno-venous hemofiltration (CVVH). The volume of distribution, terminal disposition rate constant and elimination half-life for amikacin were 27.9 L, 0.023.h-1 and 29.7 h, respectively. Total body clearance for amikacin was 10.54 ml/min and CVVH clearance was 10.11 ml/min. Sieving coefficient for amikacin was 0.93 +/- 0.16. Our data show that during CVVH at a filtration rate of 10 ml/min, the clearance of amikacin is similar to that reported in patients with renal failure who are not being treated with CVVH.     

Pharmacokinetics of Cefamandole in Patients with Renal Impairment

Cefamandole pharmacokinetics were investigated in 24 adult males with stable renal function and creatinine clearances of 0 to 139 ml/min. After intramuscular injection of 1.0 g of cefamandole, peak plasma concentrations were achieved between 1 and 2 h. Maximum plasma concentration and drug half-life increased as creatinine clearance decreased; i.e., with normal renal function the half-life was 1.49 +/- 0.10 h, and in anephrics the half-life was 11.48 +/- 1.91 h. The greatest increase in half-life occurred when the creatinine clearance was less than 20 ml/min. At these levels of renal impairment, there was significant variance in calculated half-life among patients. The maximum urine concentration and rate of cefamandole urinary excretion decreased as renal function declined. Evidence suggesting renal and nonrenal methods of drug elimination is presented. Hemodialysis resulted in increased cefamandole elimination.