title: Sufentanil disposition. Is it affected by erythromycin administration?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Because oral erythromycin administration has been associated with reduced elimination of alfentanil, suspicion has been raised about related opioids with similar metabolic pathways. A controlled crossover study of sufentanil pharmacokinetics was undertaken to resolve this issue.
  
  
  METHODS
  Six subjects had measurements of plasma concentrations for 9 h after intravenous administration of sufentanil (3 micrograms/kg). Each subject was studied following no erythromycin (control) and after 1- and 7-day courses of erythromycin base.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Plasma concentrations during the 9 h of measurement were similar before and after erythromycin. Terminal half-life and clearance and distribution volume did not change significantly among treatment groups. Values measured after 7 days of erythromycin were similar to controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Prior administration of erythromycin does not alter pharmacokinetics of sufentanil in the 9 h following sufentanil administration. Thus, there are no apparent clinical consequences of prior or concomitant erythromycin administration in patients receiving sufentanil for procedures of 9 h or less.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19107-5092.
authors.forename: R R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Bartkowski
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Goldberg
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Huffnagle
authors.forename: R H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Epstein
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004347:Drug Interactions; D004917:Erythromycin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017409:Sufentanil / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*
chemical_list: D004917:Erythromycin; D017409:Sufentanil