title: The pharmacokinetics of naloxone in the premature newborn.
abstract: We examined the pharmacokinetic properties of naloxone in a group of premature infants infused with an intravenous bolus of the drug. Ten infants with a mean birth weight of 1,328 +/- 402 g and a gestational age of 29.4 +/- 2.8 weeks were studied at an age of 4.5 +/- 3.2 days of life. Following administration of 0.4 mg/kg of naloxone, we obtained blood samples at specific time intervals, and stored the serum for later analysis by a radioimmunoassay method. Calculations from the serum concentration versus time relationship resulted in an elimination rate constant of 0.75 +/- 0.39/h, a half-life of 70.5 +/- 35.2 min, a systemic clearance of 39.13 +/- 14.53 ml/min/kg, and an apparent volume of distribution of 3.52 +/- 1.20 liters/kg.
authors: College of Pharmacy, University of Illinois, Chicago.
authors: I L
authors: IL
authors: Stile
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Fort
authors: R J
authors: RJ
authors: Wurzburger
authors: K A
authors: KA
authors: Rodvold
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Spector
authors: I M
authors: IM
authors: Hiatt
authors: T
authors: T
authors: Hegyi
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature / Q000378:metabolism*; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D009270:Naloxone / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D011863:Radioimmunoassay
chemical_list: D009270:Naloxone