The pharmacokinetics of antiviral therapy in paediatric patients.

Effective treatment requires administration of optimal drug dose. In paediatric patients this may be difficult to achieve due to lack of pharmacokinetic studies, administration of small doses, changes in body composition, continuous growth, and development and maturation of organs and systems. This article reviews the factors and misconceptions associated with determining optimal drug dose and route of administration in different paediatric populations. The pharmacokinetics, appropriate doses and preferred routes of administration for aciclovir, ganciclovir, famciclovir, foscarnet and cidofovir, for treating herpesvirus infections in the paediatric population, are discussed.