title: Population Pharmacokinetics of Dexmedetomidine After Short Intravenous Infusion in Chinese Children.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Dexmedetomidine is a highly selective alpha2-adrenoceptor agonist with sedative and analgesic properties which is also used in pediatric anesthesia. Although the pharmacokinetics of dexmedetomidine have been studied in pediatric patients, there are no data for Chinese children available. As alterations in pharmacokinetics due to ethnicity cannot be ruled out, it was the aim of this study to characterize the pharmacokinetics of dexmedetomidine in Chinese pediatric patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-nine children aged 1-9 years undergoing surgery were enrolled in the study. Dexmedetomidine was administered as short intravenous infusion of 1-2 µg/kg in 10 min. Venous blood samples were drawn until 480 min after stopping of infusion. Dexmedetomidine plasma concentrations were measured with high-performance liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry. Pharmacokinetic modeling was performed by population analysis using linear compartment models.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Data of 36 patients (age 1-9 years, weight 10-27 kg) were analyzed. The pharmacokinetics of dexmedetomidine were best described by a two-compartment model with an allometric power model and estimates standardized to 70 kg body weight. The population estimates (95 % CI) per 70 kg bodyweight were: clearance 36.2 (33.3-41.1) l/h, central volume of distribution 84.3 (70.3-91.4) l, intercompartmental clearance 82.8 (63.6-136.6) l/h, peripheral volume of distribution 114 (95-149) l, and terminal half-life 4.4 (3.6-5.3) h. Age did not show any influence on weight-adjusted parameters.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Chinese children showed a similar clearance, but larger volumes of distribution and longer terminal half-life when compared to studies in Caucasians.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  ChiCTR-OPC-14005659.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China.
authors.forename: Hua-Cheng
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China.
authors.forename: Qing-Quan
authors.initials: QQ
authors.lastname: Lian
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, Anqing First People's Hospital of Anhui Province, Anqing, China.
authors.forename: Fei-Fei
authors.initials: FF
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China.
authors.forename: Cheng-Yu
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China.
authors.forename: Li-Dan
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Krankenhausstrasse 12, 91054, Erlangen, Germany.
authors.forename: Jürgen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Schüttler
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Krankenhausstrasse 12, 91054, Erlangen, Germany. harald.ihmsen@kfa.imed.uni-erlangen.de.
authors.forename: Harald
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ihmsen
mesh_terms: D044466:Asian People; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002681:China; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid / Q000379:methods; D020927:Dexmedetomidine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D005260:Female; D006207:Half-Life; D006801:Humans; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D007223:Infant; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D008954:Models, Biological; D014018:Tissue Distribution
chemical_list: D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives; D020927:Dexmedetomidine