Clarithromycin: pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic interrelationships and dosage regimen

In the last decade three important pharmacodynamic parameters: T>MIC, Cmax/MIC and AUC/MIC, have been shown to correlate well with in-vitro antimicrobial efficacy and that found in animal models, differentiating among groups of antibiotics with diverse mechanisms of action such as exposure time or concentration-dependent effect. The macrolide antimicrobial agents display variable concentration-dependent killing, indicating the increasing importance of the Cmax parameter. Clarithromycin, whose T>MIC and AUC influence its clinical efficacy, is in an intermediate position between its progenitor, erythromycin, and the azalides. This paper reviews pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic characteristics of clarithromycin, examining the potential impact of these properties on the dose and the optimal interval between administrations.