title: Pharmacokinetics of orally administered zidovudine in HIV-infected children and adults.
abstract: The pharmacokinetics of oral zidovudine in HIV-infected children and adults are reported. Fourty-six patients were investigated. For data analysis three groups of similar size were formed: young children 4 months-4 years, n = 15 (group 1), older children up to 13 years, n = 16 (group 2) and young adults, n = 15 (group 3). After a single oral dose repeated blood samples were taken 1/2 hourly during a period of 4 hours and zidovudine concentrations in plasma were determined by high performance liquid chromatography. For better comparison of dose dependent parameters peak concentrations (Cmax) and the area under the time-concentration curves (AUC) were normalized either to the dose/body weight (bw) or the dose/body surface area (bs), respectively. Time to reach peak concentrations and mean terminal elimination half-life times (t1/2 beta = 63.4 +/- 47.6, 74.9 +/- 54.9 and 56.9 +/- 16.4 min in group 1, 2 and 3, respectively, mean +/- SD) were not significantly different between the three groups. With normalization to dose/bw young children in comparison to adults had significantly lower Cmax (2.7 +/- 1.3 vs. 4.6 +/- 2.4 mumol/l, p = 0.016) and AUC (226 +/- 108 vs. 373 +/- 224 mumol.min/l, p = 0.038). Group 2 gave intermediate values. However, with normalization to dose/bs differences in Cmax (6.5 +/- 3.3, 7.3 +/- 4.2 and 6.8 +/- 3.6 mumol/l, in group 1, 2, and 3, respectively) and AUC (563 +/- 313, 691 +/- 351 and 555 +/- 342 mumol.min/l, in group 1, 2 and 3) were not significant between the three groups. It is likely that changes in body water content with age may account for most of these differences observed. In conclusion, a similar pharmacokinetic profile was found in children older than 3 months as compared to older children or adults.
authors.affiliation: Universitäts-Kinderklinik München, Germany.
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Wintergerst
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Rolinski
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vocks-Hauck
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Wahn
authors.forename: K M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Debatin
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Notheis
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Grosch-Wörner
authors.forename: F D
authors.initials: FD
authors.lastname: Goebel
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Roscher
authors.forename: B H
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Belohradsky
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D015215:Zidovudine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*
chemical_list: D015215:Zidovudine