Population pharmacokinetics of oral baclofen in pediatric patients with cerebral palsy.

Publication Type
Journal Article
Year of Publication
2014
Authors
He, Yang; Brunstrom-Hernandez, Janice E; Thio, Liu Lin; Lackey, Shellie; Gaebler-Spira, Deborah; Kuroda, Maxine M; Stashinko, Elaine; Hoon, Alexander H; Vargus-Adams, Jilda; Stevenson, Richard D; Lowenhaupt, Stephanie; McLaughlin, John F; Christensen, Ana; Dosa, Nienke P; Butler, Maureen; Schwabe, Aloysia; Lopez, Christina; Roge, Desiree; Kennedy, Diane; Tilton, Ann; Krach, Linda E; Lewandowski, Andrew; Dai, Hongying; Gaedigk, Andrea; Leeder, J Steven; Jusko, William J
Secondary
J Pediatr
Volume
164
Pagination
1181-1188.e8
Date Published
2014 May
Keywords
Absorption; Administration, Oral; Adolescent; Baclofen; Body Weight; Cerebral Palsy; Child; Child, Preschool; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Drug Administration Schedule; Female; Half-Life; Humans; Male; Metabolic Clearance Rate; Models, Statistical; Multivariate Analysis; Muscle Relaxants, Central
Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To characterize the population pharmacokinetics (PK) of oral baclofen and assess impact of patient-specific covariates in children with cerebral palsy (CP) in order to support its clinical use.

SUBJECTS DESIGN: Children (2-17 years of age) with CP received a dose of titrated oral baclofen from 2.5 mg 3 times a day to a maximum tolerated dose of up to 20 mg 4 times a day. PK sampling followed titration of 10-12 weeks. Serial R- and S-baclofen plasma concentrations were measured for up to 16 hours in 49 subjects. Population PK modeling was performed using NONMEM 7.1 (ICON PLC; Ellicott City, Maryland).

RESULTS: R- and S-baclofen showed identical concentration-time profiles. Both baclofen enantiomers exhibited linear and dose/kg-proportional PK, and no sex differences were observed. Average baclofen terminal half-life was 4.5 hours. A 2-compartment PK model with linear elimination and transit absorption steps adequately described concentration-time profiles of both baclofen enantiomers. The mean population estimate of apparent clearance/F was 0.273 L/h/kg with 33.4% inter-individual variability (IIV), and the apparent volume of distribution (Vss/F) was 1.16 L/kg with 43.9% IIV. Delayed absorption was expressed by a mean transit time of 0.389 hours with 83.7% IIV. Body weight, a possible genetic factor, and age were determinants of apparent clearance in these children.

CONCLUSION: The PK of oral baclofen exhibited dose-proportionality and were adequately described by a 2-compartment model. Our population PK findings suggest that baclofen dosage can be based on body weight (2 mg/kg per day) and the current baclofen dose escalation strategy is appropriate in the treatment of children with CP older than 2 years of age.