title: Pharmacokinetics of cefoxitin in patients with pleural effusion on a multiple dosage regimen.
abstract: The pharmacokinetics of cefoxitin were studied in 6 healthy volunteers and in 5 patients with pleural effusion of varied etiologies. The antibiotic was administered in a multiple dosage regimen of 30 mg/kg every 8 hours. Cefoxitin concentrations in serum and pleural fluid were determined after administration of the third dose corresponding to the levels of steady-state in both fluids. The elimination half-life of the antibiotic from the pleural fluid comes to 3.51 +/- 1.15 h, which is significantly greater than the serum half-life, (t 1/2 = 1.42 +/- 0.51 h). This kind of multiple dosage regimen ensures therapeutic levels of cefoxitin in the pleural fluid during the entire treatment.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002440:Cefoxitin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D006207:Half-Life; D006801:Humans; D007700:Kinetics; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010996:Pleural Effusion / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D002440:Cefoxitin