Determining Population and Developmental Pharmacokinetics of Metronidazole using Plasma and Dried Blood Spot Samples from Premature Infants
09/2013
Journal Article
Authors:
Cohen-Wolkowiez, M.;
Sampson, M.;
Bloom, B.T.;
Arrieta, A.;
Wynn, J.L.;
Martz, K.;
Harper, B.;
Kearns, G.L.;
Capparelli, E.V.;
Siegel, D.;
Benjamin, D.K.;
Smith, B.
Volume:
32
Pagination:
956-961
Issue:
9
Journal:
Pediatr Infect Dis J
PMID:
23587979
URL:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23587979
DOI:
10.1097/INF.0b013e3182947cf8
Keywords:
Anti-Infective Agents; Blood Chemical Analysis; BPCA; Desiccation; Female; Humans; Infant; Infant, Newborn; Infant, Premature; Male; Metronidazole; Models, Theoretical; Prospective Studies; Specimen Handling
Abstract:
BACKGROUND: Limited pharmacokinetic (PK) data of metronidazole in premature infants have led to various dosing recommendations. Surrogate efficacy targets for metronidazole are ill-defined and therefore aimed to exceed minimum inhibitory concentration of organisms responsible for intra-abdominal infections.METHODS: We evaluated the PK of metronidazole using plasma and dried blood spot samples from infants ≤32 weeks gestational age in an open-label, PK, multicenter (N = 3) study using population PK modeling (NONMEM). Monte Carlo simulations (N = 1000 virtual subjects) were used to evaluate the surrogate efficacy target. Metabolic ratios of parent and metabolite were calculated.RESULTS: Twenty-four premature infants (111 plasma and 51 dried blood spot samples) were enrolled: median (range) gestational age at birth 25 (23-31) weeks, postnatal age 27 (1-82) days, postmenstrual age 31 (24-39) weeks and weight 740 (431-1466) g. Population clearance (L/h/kg) was 0.038 × (postmenstrual age/30) and volume of distribution (L/kg) of 0.93. PK parameter estimates and precision were similar between plasma and dried blood spot samples. Metabolic ratios correlated with clearance.CONCLUSION: Simulations suggested the majority of infants in the neonatal intensive care unit (>80%) would meet the surrogate efficacy target using postmenstrual age-based dosing.
