title: Comparative bioavailability and pharmacokinetics of chloramphenicol after intravenous chloramphenicol succinate in premature infants and older patients.
abstract: The bioavailability of chloramphenicol and the pharmacokinetics of chloramphenicol and chloramphenicol succinate were studied in 5 premature infants (group A), 8 full-term infants (group B) and 4 children (group C) receiving intravenous chloramphenicol succinate at steady-state. Although the total body clearances of chloramphenicol succinate were similar in the three groups, its renal clearance, 0.78 +/- 1.13 ml/min/kg, in group A was markedly lower than 4.11 +/- 2.41 ml/min/kg in group B (p less than 0.05) and 7.31 +/- 2.85 ml/min/kg in group C (p less than 0.05). The bioavailability of chloramphenicol, 0.93 +/- 0.10, in group A was considerably higher as compared to 0.71 +/- 0.14 in group B (p = 0.06) and 0.64 +/- 0.13 in group C (p less than 0.05). The elimination half-life of chloramphenicol, 10.08 +/- 6.88 h, in group A was longer than 3.48 +/- 1.52 h in group B (p less than 0.05) and 4.86 +/- 2.41 h in group C (p = 0.06). The increased bioavailability of chloramphenicol in premature infants was a result of the decreased renal clearance of chloramphenicol succinate causing a greater fraction of the chloramphenicol succinate dose to be hydrolyzed to chloramphenicol.
mesh_terms: D001682:Biological Availability; D002701:Chloramphenicol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D007263:Infusions, Parenteral; D007700:Kinetics; D008297:Male
chemical_list: D002701:Chloramphenicol; C026016:chloramphenicol succinate