A. Leroy

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.

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 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 in subjects with renal insufficiency

SummaryThe pharmacokinetics of IV meropenem (500 mg over 30 min) has been studied in 6 healthy volunteers and 26 patients with various degrees of renal impairment. Blood samples were taken at different times over 24 h in healthy subjects and 36 to 48 h in uraemic patients, and four or five urine samples were collected over 24 or 48 h. Meropenem concentrations in plasma and urine were measured by a microbiological assay.The mean peak plasma concentration of meropenem ranged from 28 to 40 μg·ml−1 and was not affected by the degree of renal impairment. The terminal half-life of meropenem was approximately 1 h in subjects with normal kidney function and it was proportionately increased as renal function decreased. A significant linear relationship between total body clearance and creatinine clearance as well as between renal clearance and creatinine clearance was observed. The mean apparent volume of distribution at steady state was not significantly altered in uraemic patients. The mean cumulative urinary recovery of meropenem in healthy volunteers was 77% of the administered dose and it was significantly decreased in patients with renal impairment. Haemodialysis shortened the elimination half-life, from 9.7 h during the predialysis period to 1.4 h during the dialysis period. The dose of meropenem should be reduced in relation to the decrease in creatinine clearance.

Comparative pharmacokinetics of tromethamine fosfomycin and calcium fosfomycin in young and elderly adults.

The pharmacokinetics of two oral forms of fosfomycin, tromethamine (trometamol) salt and calcium salt, were studied in five young (age, 29 +/- 3 [standard deviation] years) and eight elderly (age, 72 +/- 6 years) adults. The subjects received a single 40-mg/kg (body weight) (approximately equal to 3-g) calcium fosfomycin dose and a 25-mg/kg (approximately equal to 2-g) tromethamine fosfomycin dose in fosfomycin acid form. Blood and urine samples were collected for 24 h. Antibiotic concentrations in serum and urine were measured by microbiological assay. In all subjects, the peak levels of the calcium salt in serum were two- to fourfold lower than those of the tromethamine salt (6 to 7 and 18 to 22 micrograms/ml, respectively), indicating poor intestinal absorption of the calcium form. The elimination half-life of the two oral forms was about 5 h in young adults, and the half-life was only moderately longer in elderly subjects, with large individual variations: 8.28 +/- 5.51 h for tromethamine fosfomycin and 11.80 +/- 6.86 h for calcium fosfomycin. In elderly subjects, absorption of the tromethamine salt form was not modified, but the time to peak level was delayed for the calcium salt (2.58 +/- 0.54 h versus 1.41 +/- 0.67 h in young adults). Pharmacokinetic elimination of the two forms of fosfomycin was only moderately affected in elderly subjects; we observed lower urinary elimination, about 58 versus 28% of the dose in 24-h urines for the tromethamine salt and decreased renal clearance of both forms. However, the dosages of tromethamine and calcium fosfomycin need not be adjusted for elderly subjects who have endogenous creatinine clearances above 50 ml/min per 1.73 m2.

Pharmacokinetics of Aztreonam in Patients with Chronic Renal Failure

SummaryThe elimination kinetics of aztreonam (SQ 26,776), a new, completely synthetic, monocyclic β-lactam antibiotic, were studied after the administration of a single 1g intravenous dose. Five healthy volunteers and 20 patients with various degrees of renal insufficiency were enrolled in this study. Concentrations of aztreonam in serum and urine were determined by both microbiological and high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) assays.The pharmacokinetic parameters for aztreonam were calculated on the basis of a 2-compartment open model. Serum concentrations of aztreonam at 10 minutes after administration were approximately 100 μg/ml in all subjects, regardless of renal function (HPLC assay). The mean serum half-life during the α-phase showed no important variation with renal function. The mean serum half-life during the β-phase was 1.8 hours in normal subjects and 8.4 hours in haemodialysis patients (HPLC assay). There was a linear correlation between the serum clearance of aztreonam and creatinine clearance.The mean cumulative urinary recovery of aztreonam in 48 hours was 60 to 70% of the administered dose in normal subjects but this was reduced in the presence of renal insufficiency. SQ 26,992, the microbiologically inactive metabolite of aztreonam resulting from hydrolylic opening of the β-lactam ring, was undetectable in the serum of normal subjects but was found in low levels in uraemic patients. Half of a 1g intravenous dose of aztreonam was eliminated during 4 hours of haemodialysis.Guidelines for administration of aztreonam in the presence of renal failure are given.

Lomefloxacin pharmacokinetics in subjects with normal and impaired renal function.

Lomefloxacin pharmacokinetics were investigated in 6 normal subjects and 24 uremic patients after a single oral dose of 400 mg. In subjects with normal renal function, the peak level in plasma averaged 3.5 +/- 0.9 micrograms/ml (mean +/- standard deviation) and was obtained at 1.3 +/- 0.9 h. The absorption rate constant was 3.8 +/- 1.6 h-1. The terminal half-life was 7.77 +/- 0.95 h. The apparent volume of distribution was 2.54 +/- 0.66 liters/kg. Total body and renal clearances were 259 +/- 83 and 200 +/- 55 ml/min per 1.73 m2, respectively. The percentage of the dose recovered unchanged in 48-h urine was 80.6 +/- 2.8. In uremic patients, the terminal half-life increased in relation to the degree of renal failure: from 8 h in normal subjects to 38 h in severely uremic patients (glomerular filtration rate, less than 10 ml/min). Renal insufficiency did not significantly modify the peak level in plasma, the time to peak, the apparent volume of distribution, or the nonrenal clearance of lomefloxacin. The dialysis clearance of lomefloxacin was 54 +/- 13 ml/min. Linear relationships were found between lomefloxacin pharmacokinetic parameters and glomerular filtration rate data. Dosage adjustments are necessary in uremic patients.

Pharmacokinetics of Netilmicin in the Presence of Normal or Impaired Renal Function

A pharmacokinetic study of netilmicin was conducted in 12 healthy subjects and 24 subjects with chronic renal failure. After intramuscular administrations of 2 and 3 mg of netilmicin per kg in normal subjects, the mean peak serum concentrations were 5.46 and 8.83 μg/ml, respectively. After intravenous infusions of identical doses, the mean maximum serum levels, occurring at the end of the infusion, were 11.79 and 15.75 μg/ml, respectively. The pharmacokinetic data were very similar via the two routes of administration and for the two doses. The elimination half-life was 2.20 h, and 80 to 90% of the injected dose was recovered in urine during the first 24 h. After intramuscular administration of 2 mg/kg in subjects with chronic renal impairment, the elimination half-life increased to 29.48 h, and urinary elimination was inversely related to the degree of impairment. A study was conducted throughout hemodialysis sessions: serum concentrations decreased by 63.3%. The linear relationships between the elimination rate constant and creatinine clearance and the elimination half-life and serum creatinine allowed us to establish dosage schedules according to the degree of renal failure.

Pharmacokinetics of Amoxicillin: Dosage Nomogram for Patients with Impaired Renal Function

Amoxicillin pharmacokinetics after intravenous administration were studied in patients with normal renal function, with impaired renal function, and during hemodialysis. The average urinary recovery was 68% in patients with normal renal function. Serum half-life was highly correlated (r = 0.967) with creatinine clearance corrected for body weight. Expected half-life was 71 min for a corrected creatinine clearance of 100 ml/min per 70 kg and 16 h in the anephric patient. Average amoxicillin half-life on hemodialysis was 3.6 h. We present a dosage nomogram for making appropriate adjustments to loading dose based on patient weight and maintenance dose based on corrected creatinine clearance.

Pharmacokinetics of Azlocillin in Subjects with Normal and Impaired Renal Function

The pharmacokinetics of azlocillin were investigated in five healthy subjects and in 16 subjects with chronic renal failure. After intravenous bolus injection of a single dose of 30 mg/kg in normal subjects, pharmacokinetic data were calculated, using a two-compartment open body model. The mean distribution serum half-life (T1/2α) was 0.11 h, and the mean elimination serum half-life (T1/2β) was 0.89 h. The volume of the central compartment (VC) was 7.36 liters/1.73 m2, and the apparent volume of distribution (Vdss) was 14.15 liters/1.73 m2, i.e., 21.9% of body weight. The T1/2β after a 30-min intravenous infusion of 80 mg/kg to the same healthy subjects was 1.11 h. Serum clearances (CS) for the 30- and 80-mg/kg doses were 215.0 and 152.9 ml/min per 1.73 m2. The mean renal clearances (CR) were 145.2 and 94.1 ml/min per 1.73 m2 for the respective doses. Between 61.8 and 69.6% of the injected dose was recovered in urine during the first 24 h. The elimination half-life in subjects with chronic renal impairment increased with the degree of renal insufficiency. After a 30-min intravenous infusion of 80 mg/kg the T1/2β values were 2.03, 4.01, and 5.66 h with creatinine clearances (Ccr) within 30 to 50, 10 to 30, and <10 ml/min per 1.73 m2, respectively. Urinary elimination was inversely related to the degree of renal impairment. In four patients out of and on a 6-h hemodialysis session mean elimination half-life values were 6.53 and 2.81 h, respectively. The fraction of drug removed by dialysis was 45.8%. The linear relationships between the elimination of half-life (T1/2β) and serum creatinine and the elimination rate constant (β) and creatinine clearance (Ccr) provided a basis for adjustment of dosage in renal failure.