[Dosage adjustment of metoclopramide for controlling vomiting induced by cisplatin: pharmacokinetic approach]

Ten patients under cisplatin-containing chemotherapeutic regimens received constant rate continuous infusions of metoclopramide in doses adjusted to each individual case for optimal plasma concentration. Dosage adjustment was based on simple pharmacokinetics with determination of metoclopramide distribution and elimination values in each patient. From these values were calculated the individual loading and maintenance dosages required to obtain the sustained plasma concentration of 0.85 mg/l reported in the literature as being correlated with a good antiemetic effectiveness. The mean plasma concentration in the 10 patients studied was 0.84 +/- 0.19 mg/l with doses which varied considerably owing to marked scattering of pharmacokinetic parameters. Treatment was effective in 6 out of 10 patients and well tolerated by all.