title: Developmental pharmacology and therapeutics of piperacillin in gram-negative infections.
abstract: Twenty children ranging in age from 1 week to 19 years with documented or suspected bacterial infections arising outside the central nervous system were studied. Pharmacokinetic analysis was possible in 15 children; 8 after the first dose, 6 during steady-state conditions, and 4 on both occasions. Data were obtained utilizing noncompartmental pharmacokinetic methods. Peak piperacillin serum concentrations ranged from 51 to 232 mg/l and correlated directly (r = 0.75) with the dose administered. In children with normal renal function, there was an age-dependent decrease in elimination half-life and apparent steady-state volume of distribution, whereas plasma clearance increased logarithmically. All but 1 child responded favorably to piperacillin therapy, and 1 child with a urinary tract infection relapsed 10 days after discontinuation of the therapy. Although improved clinically, piperacillin monotherapy failed to eradicate pathogens in 2 children. No adverse clinical or biochemical effects were observed in any child.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000375:Aging; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006090:Gram-Negative Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007700:Kinetics; D008297:Male; D008954:Models, Biological; D010878:Piperacillin / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use* / Q000652:urine; D014552:Urinary Tract Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: D010878:Piperacillin