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[Penicillin VK absorption during fasting and after eating]
Insights
Penicillin VK absorption in children is higher when taken on an empty stomach. However, food does not significantly impact penicillin VK levels after 60 minutes, supporting flexible dosing for infections.
Area of Science:
- Pharmacology
- Pediatrics
- Infectious Diseases
Context:
- Penicillin VK is a common antibiotic for bacterial infections.
- Understanding its absorption is crucial for effective treatment, especially in pediatric patients.
- Food intake can influence oral drug absorption.
Purpose:
- To evaluate the impact of food on the absorption of oral penicillin VK (Rafapen) in children.
- To compare serum penicillin levels after administration with and without a meal.
Summary:
- This study assessed penicillin VK absorption in 12 children (3-16 years) with penicillin-sensitive infections.
- Children received 50 mg/kg of penicillin VK after an overnight fast and after breakfast on consecutive days.
- Serum penicillin levels were measured at 30, 60, and 90 minutes post-administration.
- Higher initial serum levels were observed after fasting (4.75 U/ml at 30 min) compared to post-breakfast (3.38 U/ml at 30 min).
- This difference diminished by 60 and 90 minutes, with levels reaching 1.96 U/ml and 1.05 U/ml, respectively.
Impact:
- The findings suggest that while food may slightly delay initial absorption, it does not negate the efficacy of penicillin VK.
- This supports the recommendation for administering oral penicillin VK without strict adherence to feeding schedules.
- Optimizing antibiotic dosing regimens can improve patient compliance and treatment outcomes in pediatric infectious diseases.
Abstract:
The absorption of penicillin VK (Rafapen) was evaluated in 12 children, 3-16 years.old, with infections due to penicillin-sensitive organisms. In each, 50 mg/kg of Rafapen was given after an overnight fast, and the next day the same amount was administered after a standard hospital breakfast. Blood samples were drawn before and 30, 60 and 90 min after the drug was given. Serum penicillin levels were determined by comparing the inhibition of growth on plates of Staphylococcus aureus (Oxford strain), with that of standard penicillin G concentrations. The serum levels after the overnight fast were higher, 4.75 U/ml, as compared to 3.38 U/ml 30 min after the drug was given following breakfast. This increase was abolished at 60 and 90 min, when the serum levels were 1.96 and 1.05 U/ml, respectively. We advise the use of oral penicillin VK in infections due to penicillin-sensitive organisms, without regard to feeding schedule.