Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy (1986) 17, 215-219
© 1986 The British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy
research-article |
Pharmacokinetics of aztreonam in infected patients
University Hospital, Department of Infectious Diseases P.O. Box 9600, 2300 RC Leiden, The Netherlands
accepted 29 August 1985
Pharmacokinetic parameters of aztreonam were determined in 22 patients with severe Gram-negative infections, treated with 0.5 or 1 g tid as an infusion of 30 min duration. Plasma concentrations were determined microbiologically. Most patients had various degrees of renal impairment and they showed a wide variety of age and body weight. The mean calculated volume of distribution was 17.31 or 260 ml/kg. The total plasma clearance correlated well with the creatinine clearance; the mean plasma clearance was 82 ml/min and the extrapolated extrarenal clearance was 9 ml/min. Actually measured half lives of aztreonam varied between 1 h 20 min, in a patient with normal renal function, and 9 h 40 min in a patient with severely impaired renal function. The results differ from predictions by other authors. Based on our results a dosage adjustment schedule for renal impairment is suggested.