[Pharmacokinetics of aztreonam on hemodialysis]

We studied the pharmacokinetics of aztreonam (AZT) in 6 patients with renal insufficiencies during nonhemodialysis and hemodialysis. After intravenous injection of 1 g AZT, it was found that serum AZT concentrations during hemodialysis were different from those during nonhemodialysis and serum half-lives (T 1/2 beta) were 3.44 hours and 16.97 hours, respectively. AZT clearance changed from 0.762 L/hr during hemodialysis to 3.360 L/hr during nonhemodialysis. These findings suggest that hemodialysis patients should receive the standard dose of AZT as a loading dose, followed by one-half the loading dose per day and receive a supplemental dose equal to half their usual maintenance dose after each dialysis session.