[Clinical and pharmacokinetic evaluation of ceftazidime in neonates and young infants]
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Insights
Ceftazidime (CAZ) effectively treated infections in newborns and infants, showing good clinical response in 12 out of 17 patients. This antibiotic was generally well-tolerated, with minimal side effects observed in the pediatric study population.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Infectious Diseases
- Clinical Pharmacology
- Antibiotic Therapy
Context:
- Neonatal and infant infections pose significant clinical challenges.
- Ceftazidime is a third-generation cephalosporin antibiotic with broad-spectrum activity.
- Limited pharmacokinetic and efficacy data exist for ceftazidime in very young infants.
Purpose:
- To evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of ceftazidime in newborn and young infants.
- To assess the pharmacokinetic profile of ceftazidime in this vulnerable population, including premature infants.
Summary:
- Seventeen infants (including 6 premature) received ceftazidime (10-50 mg/kg every 6-12 hours for 3-14 days) for various infections.
- Twelve patients responded to treatment (2 excellent, 9 good, 1 fair); side effects included diarrhea (1) and eosinophilia (3).
- Pharmacokinetic studies in 22 infants showed dose-dependent serum concentrations and age-related elimination half-lives (longer in infants <7 days old).
Impact:
- Ceftazidime demonstrates favorable clinical efficacy and a tolerable safety profile for treating infections in neonates and infants.
- Understanding ceftazidime pharmacokinetics in infants is crucial for optimizing dosing regimens and ensuring therapeutic success.
- This study provides valuable data for guiding ceftazidime use in pediatric infectious disease management.
Abstract:
Seventeen newborn and young infants including 6 premature infants were treated with ceftazidime (CAZ) and the clinical efficacy and side effects were evaluated. Ages of the patients ranged from zero to 55 days, and their body weights ranged from 1.35 to 3.87 kg. Doses of CAZ ranged 10-50 mg/kg every 6 to 12 hours for 3 to 14 days. Twelve infants with infections including meningitis, sepsis, pneumonia and urinary tract infections, were considered to have responded to the CAZ treatment. Among them, results were excellent in 2, good in 9 and fair in 1 patient. The drug was well tolerated, but 1 had diarrhea and 3 patients had eosinophilia among the 17 patients. The pharmacokinetics of CAZ was studied in 22 patients including 11 premature infants. Their ages ranged from 1 to 60 days, and body weights ranged from 0.85 to 3.96 kg. Serum concentrations in 7 patients ranged from 24.2-38.5 micrograms/ml at 30 minutes after single doses of 10 mg/kg intravenous bolus injections and 4.36-12.4 micrograms/ml at 6 hours. Mean elimination half-lives of the drug were 3.20 hours in 2 patients under 7 days of age and 2.31 hours in 5 patients from 7 days of age or older. In 8 patients, serum concentrations ranged 32.6-57.9 micrograms/ml at 30 minutes and 8.10-20.7 micrograms/ml at 6 hours after single doses of 20 mg/kg. Elimination half-lives were 3.53 hours in 4 patients under 7 days of age and 2.79 hours in 4 patients from 7 days of age or older.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)