Related Experiment Video

Updated: Oct 23, 2025

Multiplex Therapeutic Drug Monitoring by Isotope-dilution HPLC-MS/MS of Antibiotics in Critical Illnesses
11:17

Multiplex Therapeutic Drug Monitoring by Isotope-dilution HPLC-MS/MS of Antibiotics in Critical Illnesses

Published on: August 30, 2018

13.1K

Population pharmacokinetics of meropenem in critically ill infant patients

Wanlika Yonwises1, Noppadol Wacharachaisurapol2, Suvaporn Anugulruengkitt3

  • 1Department of Pharmacy Practice, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand.

International Journal of Infectious Diseases : IJID : Official Publication of the International Society for Infectious Diseases
|August 22, 2021
PubMed

Insights

This study developed a population pharmacokinetic model for meropenem in critically ill infants. The model helps optimize meropenem dosing to improve treatment outcomes in this vulnerable population.

Area of Science:

  • Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics
  • Pediatric Critical Care
  • Infectious Disease Pharmacology

Background:

  • Population pharmacokinetic (PPK) analysis in critically ill infants is challenging due to limited data.
  • Understanding meropenem pharmacokinetics is crucial for effective treatment in pediatric intensive care units.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To establish a PPK model for meropenem in critically ill infants.
  • To identify covariates influencing meropenem pharmacokinetic parameters.
  • To guide individualized meropenem dosing strategies.

Main Methods:

  • Prospective study involving 35 critically ill infants.
  • Collection and analysis of 160 meropenem plasma samples.
  • NONMEM software utilized for PPK analysis with internal validation (bootstrapping, VPC).

Main Results:

  • A one-compartment model with first-order elimination best described meropenem pharmacokinetics.
  • Typical clearance (CL) was 1.33 L/h and volume of distribution (Vd) was 2.27 L.
  • Weight and creatinine clearance affected CL; weight influenced Vd. Standard dosing achieved 40% fT>MIC, falling short of the 80% target at high MICs.

Conclusions:

  • The developed PPK model provides a basis for individualized meropenem dosing in critically ill infants.
  • Optimized dosing may be necessary to achieve therapeutic targets, especially for resistant pathogens.
  • This model can enhance meropenem efficacy and improve patient outcomes.
Abstract

Keywords:
Critically illInfantsMeropenemPopulation pharmacokinetics

More Related Videos

A Robust Pneumonia Model in Immunocompetent Rodents to Evaluate Antibacterial Efficacy against S. pneumoniae, H. influenzae, K. pneumoniae, P. aeruginosa or A. baumannii09:17

A Robust Pneumonia Model in Immunocompetent Rodents to Evaluate Antibacterial Efficacy against S. pneumoniae, H. influenzae, K. pneumoniae, P. aeruginosa or A. baumannii

Published on: January 2, 2017

14.9K
Development of a Polymicrobial Colony Biofilm Model to Test Antimicrobials in Cystic Fibrosis07:16

Development of a Polymicrobial Colony Biofilm Model to Test Antimicrobials in Cystic Fibrosis

Published on: September 20, 2024

1.4K

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...
46
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,...
56
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...
44
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...
39
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...
55
Determination of Multiple Dosing Parameters: Steady-State, Minimum and Maximum Concentrations01:15

Determination of Multiple Dosing Parameters: Steady-State, Minimum and Maximum Concentrations

Gentamicin, an aminoglycoside antibiotic, is commonly administered via intermittent intravenous infusion to treat severe infections. An intermittent one-hour infusion of gentamicin, administered at eight-hour intervals, allows for precise control of plasma drug concentrations, minimizing toxicity while ensuring therapeutic efficacy. Pharmacokinetic principles govern the dynamics of plasma concentrations and can be mathematically described using specific equations.The plasma drug concentration...
38