Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 29, 2026

Reduced Itraconazole Concentration and Durations Are Successful in Treating Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis Infection in Amphibians
06:49

Reduced Itraconazole Concentration and Durations Are Successful in Treating Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis Infection in Amphibians

Published on: March 14, 2014

The dosage of co-trimoxazole in childhood

A S Fowle, A Bye, F Hariri

    European Journal of Clinical Pharmacology
    |April 4, 1975
    PubMed

    Insights

    This study found that co-trimoxazole, a combination of trimethoprim (TMP) and sulphamethoxazole (SMX), is safe and effective in children. The simple, age-based dosage regimen resulted in therapeutic drug levels without toxicity.

    Area of Science:

    • Pediatric Pharmacology
    • Antimicrobial Drug Efficacy
    • Clinical Pharmacokinetics

    Background:

    • Co-trimoxazole, a fixed-ratio combination of trimethoprim (TMP) and sulphamethoxazole (SMX), is widely used for pediatric infections.
    • Understanding the pharmacokinetic profile of co-trimoxazole in children is crucial for optimizing therapeutic outcomes.
    • Age-based dosing strategies require validation through plasma concentration monitoring.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To evaluate the safety and efficacy of a simple, age-based co-trimoxazole (TMP/SMX) dosing regimen in pediatric patients.
    • To determine plasma concentrations of trimethoprim and sulphamethoxazole in children receiving the study regimen.
    • To assess whether achieved drug levels fall within effective and non-toxic ranges.

    Main Methods:

    • A cohort of 48 children (1-48 months) received co-trimoxazole (TMP/SMX) twice daily for up to seven days.
    • Dosage was determined by patient age.
    • Plasma drug concentrations were measured pre-dose and approximately three hours post-dose.

    Main Results:

    • Plasma concentrations of both trimethoprim (TMP) and sulphamethoxazole (SMX) were consistently observed within the effective therapeutic range.
    • No toxic drug levels were detected in the study population.
    • The achieved drug concentrations supported the safety and efficacy of the age-based dosing regimen.

    Conclusions:

    • The simple, age-based co-trimoxazole (TMP/SMX) regimen is effective and safe for children aged 1-48 months.
    • Plasma drug level monitoring validates the therapeutic and non-toxic range achieved with this dosing strategy.
    • This regimen provides a justifiable and practical approach for pediatric co-trimoxazole therapy.

    More Related Videos

    Quadruple-Checkerboard: A Modification of the Three-Dimensional Checkerboard for Studying Drug Combinations11:15

    Quadruple-Checkerboard: A Modification of the Three-Dimensional Checkerboard for Studying Drug Combinations

    Published on: July 24, 2021

    Galleria mellonella as an Antimicrobial Screening Model06:19

    Galleria mellonella as an Antimicrobial Screening Model

    Published on: October 11, 2024

    Related Concept Videos

    Dosage Regimen: Fixed Dose01:01

    Dosage Regimen: Fixed Dose

    Fixed-dose regimens are a common approach to administer drugs to achieve and maintain desired levels of the drug in the body. In this dosing strategy, a specific amount of medication is given at regular intervals, often multiple times a day, to ensure a consistent drug concentration in the bloodstream.
    Fixed-dose regimens can be used for various routes of administration, including intravenous (IV) injections and oral medications. For IV administration, a predetermined amount of the drug is...
    Dosage Regimen: Multiple Oral Dosage01:25

    Dosage Regimen: Multiple Oral Dosage

    Understanding how a drug's concentration fluctuates within the body over time is crucial in pharmacokinetics, particularly with multiple oral doses. A graphical representation of multiple oral dosages provides insight into these dynamics. Typical accumulation curves of a drug's concentration in the body reveal a sawtooth pattern, indicating periodic peaks and troughs correlating with each dose administration and the drug's subsequent elimination.The plasma concentration at any time during an...
    Drug Dosing: Infants and Children01:29

    Drug Dosing: Infants and Children

    Pediatric patient dosages diverge from adults due to disparities in body surface area, total body water, and extracellular fluid per kilogram of body weight. The dosing regimen considers the variations in pharmacokinetics and pharmacology across distinct age groups, encompassing preterm newborns, infants, young children, older children, and adolescents. Calculation of pediatric patient doses is predicated on determining body surface area, which exhibits a superior correlation with the child's...
    Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Distribution01:17

    Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Distribution

    Drug distribution in the pediatric population exhibits unique challenges and considerations due to the physiological differences between children, particularly neonates and infants, and adults. A crucial aspect of pediatric pharmacology is understanding how these differences impact the pharmacokinetics of various drugs, necessitating age-specific dosing strategies to ensure efficacy and safety.Neonates and infants have a higher total body water content, ~75%–90% of their body weight, compared...
    Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Metabolism01:24

    Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Metabolism

    In pediatric care, understanding the nuances of hepatic drug metabolism is crucial, as it significantly differs from that of adults. This divergence is primarily due to the developmental stage of drug-metabolizing enzymes, which affects how medications are processed in the body. In neonates, for instance, the activity of Phase I enzymes—critical for the initial breakdown of drugs—is markedly reduced, functioning at just 20–40% of the levels seen in adults. This reduction poses a challenge in...
    Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Excretion01:26

    Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Excretion

    In pediatric medicine, understanding the renal function and drug elimination nuances is crucial for administering safe and effective treatments. Newborns, in particular, display markedly slower renal functions than adults, profoundly affecting how drugs are cleared from their bodies. This slower drug clearance requires clinicians to extend the dosing intervals for many medications to prevent drug accumulation and toxicity while ensuring therapeutic efficacy.One key area where these adjustments...