title: Serum concentrations of penicillin after intramuscular administration of procaine, benzyl, and benethamine penicillin in children with pneumonia.
abstract: Serum concentrations of penicillin were measured in 37 children with pneumonia. The mean serum concentration of penicillin was greater than 1.0 microgram/mL for 11 hours after intramuscular administration of 48,000 U/kg benethamine penicillin compound (nine children), for 26 hours after 48,000 U/kg aqueous procaine penicillin (10 children), and for 40 hours after 79,000 U/kg aqueous procaine penicillin (seven children). After intramuscular administration of 35,000 U/kg benzyl penicillin in 11 children, the serum concentration was 13.3 +/- 7.4 micrograms/mL (mean +/- SD) 30 minutes after the injection, and 4.9 +/- 3.2 micrograms/mL after 3 hours. Our findings lend support to the World Health Organization recommendation that children with mild pneumonia in developing countries be given daily intramuscular injections of 50,000 U/kg aqueous procaine penicillin.
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D010400:Penicillin G / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000097:blood* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011014:Pneumonia / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy
chemical_list: C038323:benethamine penicillin; D010400:Penicillin G