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Population pharmacokinetics and dosing optimization of latamoxef in neonates and young infants
Hui Qi1, Chen Kou2, Yu-Jie Qi3
1Beijing Key Laboratory of Pediatric Respiratory Infection Diseases, Key Laboratory of Major Diseases in Children, Ministry of Education, National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Diseases, National Key Discipline of Pediatrics (Capital Medical University), Beijing Pediatric Research Institute, Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children's Health, Beijing, China.
Insights
This study determined optimal latamoxef dosing for newborns, finding 30 mg/kg every 12 hours or 8 hours is effective based on pathogen. This provides evidence-based guidelines for treating neonatal infections with this historical antibiotic.
Area of Science:
- Pharmacology
- Neonatal Medicine
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Renewed interest in historical antibiotics due to rising antibiotic resistance.
- Latamoxef, an oxacephem antibiotic, is used off-label in neonates without established dosing.
- Need for evidence-based dosing regimens in neonatal clinical practice.
Purpose of the Study:
- Evaluate latamoxef pharmacokinetics in neonates and young infants.
- Establish an evidence-based dosing regimen for newborns.
- Utilize developmental pharmacokinetics-pharmacodynamics (PK-PD) principles.
Main Methods:
- Collected opportunistic blood samples from newborns treated with latamoxef.
- Quantified latamoxef concentrations using high-performance liquid chromatography with UV detection.
- Performed population PK-PD analysis with NONMEM and R software on 165 samples from 128 neonates.
Main Results:
- A two-compartment model with first-order elimination best described latamoxef pharmacokinetics.
- Body weight and postnatal age were significant covariates affecting latamoxef clearance.
- Simulations showed 30 mg/kg q12h is adequate for MIC ≤ 1 mg/L; 30 mg/kg q8h is needed for MIC = 4 mg/L.
Conclusions:
- Developmental PK-PD analysis supports rational dosing of latamoxef in newborns.
- Recommended dosing regimens are 30 mg/kg every 12 hours or every 8 hours.
- Dosing adjustments depend on the specific pathogen's minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC).
Objectives:
There has been recent renewed interest in historical antibiotics because of the increased antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains. Latamoxef, a semi-synthetic oxacephem antibiotic developed in 1980s, has recently been brought back into use for treatment of infections in newborns; however, it is still used off-label in neonatal clinical practice due to the lack of an evidence-based dosing regimen. This study was performed to evaluate the pharmacokinetics of latamoxef in neonates and young infants, and to provide an evidence-based dosing regimen for newborns based on developmental pharmacokinetics-pharmacodynamics (PK-PD).
Methods:
Opportunistic blood samples from newborns treated with latamoxef were collected to determine the latamoxef concentration by high-performance liquid chromatography with UV detection. Population PK-PD analysis was conducted using NONMEM and R software. A total of 165 plasma samples from 128 newborns (postmenstrual age range 28.4-46.1 weeks) were available for analysis.
Results:
A two-compartment model with first-order elimination showed the best fit with the data. Current body weight, birth weight, and postnatal age were identified as significant covariates influencing latamoxef clearance. Simulation indicated that the current dosing regimen (30 mg/kg q12h) is adequate with an MIC of 1 mg/L. For an MIC of 4 mg/L, 30 mg/kg q8h was required to achieve a target rate of 70% of patients having a free antimicrobial drug concentration exceeding the MIC during 70% of the dosing interval.
Conclusions:
Based on the developmental PK-PD analysis of latamoxef, a rational dosing regimen of 30 mg/kg q12h or q8h was required in newborns, depending on the pathogen.
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