Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 19, 2026

Generation of Fluorescent Protein Fusions in Candida Species
09:27

Generation of Fluorescent Protein Fusions in Candida Species

Published on: March 4, 2017

Fluconazole pharmacokinetics and safety in premature infants

K Turner1, P Manzoni, D K Benjamin

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.

Current Medicinal Chemistry
|August 11, 2012
PubMed

Insights

Fluconazole is a safe and effective treatment for invasive candidiasis in premature infants. A dose of 12 mg/kg/day, potentially with a loading dose, achieves therapeutic drug levels and targets for this vulnerable population.

Area of Science:

  • Neonatal Medicine
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Invasive candidiasis (IC) is a significant cause of illness and death in premature infants.
  • Fluconazole is a primary antifungal medication for treating and preventing IC in neonates.
  • Limited prospective studies exist on fluconazole's pharmacokinetics (PK) and safety in premature infants.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review existing Phase I studies on fluconazole PK in premature infants.
  • To establish optimal dosing strategies for fluconazole in this population.
  • To assess the safety profile of fluconazole in premature neonates.

Main Methods:

  • Review of five Phase I clinical studies.
  • Analysis of fluconazole pharmacokinetic data in premature infants.
  • Evaluation of safety and tolerability data, including adverse events.

Main Results:

  • Fluconazole PK in premature infants differs significantly from adults.
  • A recommended treatment dose of 12 mg/kg/day, with a potential 25 mg/kg loading dose, achieves therapeutic targets.
  • Fluconazole demonstrated an acceptable safety profile with minimal, reversible liver effects.

Conclusions:

  • The reviewed data support specific dosing guidelines for fluconazole in premature infants.
  • Fluconazole is a safe and effective option for managing invasive candidiasis in neonates.
  • Further research may refine optimal dosing and monitoring strategies.

More Related Videos

Broth Microdilution In Vitro Screening: An Easy and Fast Method to Detect New Antifungal Compounds08:54

Broth Microdilution In Vitro Screening: An Easy and Fast Method to Detect New Antifungal Compounds

Published on: February 14, 2018

Optimized LC-MS/MS Method for the High-throughput Analysis of Clinical Samples of Ivacaftor, Its Major Metabolites, and Lumacaftor in Biological Fluids of Cystic Fibrosis Patients06:14

Optimized LC-MS/MS Method for the High-throughput Analysis of Clinical Samples of Ivacaftor, Its Major Metabolites, and Lumacaftor in Biological Fluids of Cystic Fibrosis Patients

Published on: October 15, 2017

Related Concept Videos

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...
Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Overview and Drug Absorption01:23

Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Overview and Drug Absorption

Understanding the physiological differences in the pediatric population is crucial for effective pharmacotherapy. Neonates, infants, and children exhibit significant variations in gastric pH, gastric emptying time, intestinal transit time, and biliary function. These variations profoundly affect oral drug absorption, necessitating a nuanced approach to pediatric dosing.Neonates present with a unique physiological profile, having a gastric pH greater than 4 and faster and more irregular gastric...
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...
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: Drug–Food and Drug–Viral Interactions01:26

Pharmacokinetics: Drug–Food and Drug–Viral Interactions

A drug interaction occurs when the concurrent use of another drug, food, or an external substance alters the pharmacological activity of a drug. This interaction can modify the action of the original drug, affecting its effectiveness and safety.Drug–food interactions are significant as they impact drug absorption, metabolism, and excretion. For example, grapefruit juice is a well-known disruptor of drug metabolism. It inhibits the cytochrome P450 3A4 enzyme, crucial for the metabolism of many...