title: Aspects of chronopharmacology and chronotherapy in children.
abstract: Pediatric studies involving chronopharmacology until now have been limited mainly to investigation of circadian patterns in children of 6 to 15 years. This means that: a. data on newborns and even on infants of one year or younger are not available, and b. other bioperiodicities, such as those of one year (infradian rhythms), have not yet been explored in older children. Biological time-related changes have been documented for phenytoin and theophylline with regard to their pharmacokinetics and for orciprenaline, ipratropium bromide, corticosteroids and anticancerous agents with regard to their effectiveness. Despite the small number of investigations performed to date, results indicate that: a. more comprehensive and precise characterization of pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic phenomena can be achieved by a chronopharmacological approach than the conventional one and, b. better therapeutics can be achieved using chronopharmacological facts since an appropriate timing of medicines with regard to biological rhythms is likely to enhance desired and/or reduce undesired effects.
mesh_terms: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000818:Animals; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy; D002648:Child; D002940:Circadian Rhythm; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004358:Drug Therapy; D005544:Forecasting; D006801:Humans; D009241:Ipratropium / Q000494:pharmacology; D009921:Metaproterenol / Q000494:pharmacology; D010672:Phenytoin / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D013806:Theophylline / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D009921:Metaproterenol; D010672:Phenytoin; D013806:Theophylline; D009241:Ipratropium