title: Pharmacokinetics of cefuroxime in infants and children with bacterial meningitis.
abstract: A total of 38 patients with bacterial meningitis received either 50 or 75 mg of cefuroxime per kg of body weight given as a 15-min intravenous infusion during the first to third days of therapy. The mean peak plasma concentrations of cefuroxime after doses of 50 and 75 mg/kg were 105 and 152 micrograms/ml, respectively. In five patients, pharmacokinetic values were determined after multiple doses of 50 mg of cefuroxime per kg every 6 h. The mean peak plasma concentrations were 120 micrograms/ml after the first dose and 130 micrograms/ml after the last dose. The concentrations at 6 h were 3.25 and 11.0 micrograms/ml after the first and last doses, respectively. The elimination half-life was approximately 1.5 h, and the apparent volume of distribution was 650 ml/kg. The plasma clearance rate was 195 to 198 ml/min per 1.73 m2. Penetration into the cerebrospinal fluid, expressed as the ratio of the cerebrospinal fluid to serum areas under the curve times 100, was 6.4% in patients given 50 mg of cefuroxime per kg and 10% in those who received 75 mg/kg. The cerebrospinal bactericidal activity in 27 patients was less than or equal to 1:8; only 2 patients had bactericidal activity of less than or equal to 1:2.
mesh_terms: D002444:Cefuroxime / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002511:Cephalosporins / Q000378:metabolism*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006207:Half-Life; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007700:Kinetics; D008297:Male; D008581:Meningitis / Q000378:metabolism*; D008583:Meningitis, Haemophilus / Q000188:drug therapy; D008585:Meningitis, Meningococcal / Q000188:drug therapy; D008586:Meningitis, Pneumococcal / Q000188:drug therapy; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests
chemical_list: D002511:Cephalosporins; D002444:Cefuroxime