title: Thermal injury effects on drug disposition: a prospective study with piperacillin.
abstract: The disposition of piperacillin was prospectively evaluated in nine severely burned patients who had normal renal and hepatic function. Wide interpatient variations were demonstrated in the drug's distribution volume, half-life, and clearance, with mean (+/- SD) values of 55.0 (+/- 44.2) liters, 3.6 (+/- 5.2) hours, and 14.9 (+/- 6.3) liters/hour, respectively. Piperacillin clearance was best explained by patient factors other than age, renal function, and the percentage of body surface area burns. Piperacillin disposition was related to the patients' serum albumin, total bilirubin, blood urea nitrogen, and the amount of urea nitrogen excreted daily in urine. Altered piperacillin disposition thus appeared to occur secondary to changes in the patients' physiologic and metabolic state caused by injury-related stress and fluid therapy. The patient's physiologic and metabolic response to injury, along with age and renal function, should be considered when instituting treatment with piperacillin or other agents cleared from the body in a similar manner.
authors.affiliation: College of Pharmacy, University of Minnesota, St. Paul-Ramsey Medical Center.
authors.forename: L R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Shikuma
authors.forename: B H
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Ackerman
authors.forename: R H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Weaver
authors.forename: L D
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Solem
authors.forename: R G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Strate
authors.forename: F B
authors.initials: FB
authors.lastname: Cerra
authors.forename: D E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Zaske
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001682:Biological Availability; D002056:Burns / Q000378:metabolism*; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D006207:Half-Life; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008657:Metabolic Clearance Rate; D008875:Middle Aged; D010878:Piperacillin / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011897:Random Allocation; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D010878:Piperacillin