title: Saliva and blood concentration of cefuroxime in patients undergoing maxillofacial surgery.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the penetration of cefuroxime into the parotid saliva after short-term intravenous administration in patients undergoing various maxillofacial surgical procedures.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 12 patients, 10 males and 2 females, with a mean age of 41 ± 21.2 years, participated in the present study. Each patient received 1.5 g of intravenous cefuroxime every 8 hours. Blood and parotid saliva samples were collected concomitantly, on the third day of therapy, just before the infusion of the first morning dose, and 0.5 hour after its end. All samples were analyzed using high-performance liquid chromatography.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The cefuroxime concentration in plasma and saliva before infusion was 2.08 ± 1.05 mg/L and 0.46 ± 0.33 mg/L, respectively. At 30 minutes after the end of infusion, the corresponding concentrations were 55.54 ± 20.24 mg/L and 14.50 ± 7.85 mg/L. The saliva/plasma ratio was 0.25 ± 0.18 before and 0.26 ± 0.12 after the infusion.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cefuroxime is excreted in saliva in high levels shortly after infusion but is detected in far lower levels 8 hours after infusion. Taking into consideration the minimum inhibitory concentration values of common pathogens, we have concluded that the saliva concentrations of the drug are sufficient against some, but not all, pathogens involved in the oral-maxillofacial area.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki School of Dentistry, G. Papanikolaou General Hospital, Exohi, Thessaloniki, Greece.
authors.forename: Gregory
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Venetis
authors.forename: Kalliopi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Chatzika
authors.forename: Georgia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pitsiou
authors.forename: Nikolaos
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kechagias
authors.forename: Kostas
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Antoniades
authors.forename: Ioannis P
authors.initials: IP
authors.lastname: Kioumis
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D002444:Cefuroxime / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D017558:Elective Surgical Procedures; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D008297:Male; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D008875:Middle Aged; D009055:Mouth / Q000382:microbiology; D019647:Oral Surgical Procedures; D010306:Parotid Gland / Q000378:metabolism*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012463:Saliva / Q000737:chemistry*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D002444:Cefuroxime