Disposition of fleroxacin, a new trifluoroquinolone, and its metabolites. Pharmacokinetics in elderly patients.

The pharmacokinetics of fleroxacin and its main metabolites, N-demethyl-fleroxacin and N-oxide-fleroxacin, were studied in 12 elderly patients aged 63 to 88 years. Plasma and urine samples collected at different times after drug administration were analysed by a specific reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method. The peak plasma concentration (Cmax) of fleroxacin was 15.6 +/- 1.6 mg/L, time to Cmax (tmax) was about 3h, elimination half-life (t1/2) was 16 +/- 1h and the percentage of unchanged fleroxacin excreted in urine was 39 +/- 3% of the dose. The plasma concentrations of metabolites were very low and accounted for no more than 4% of the concentration of unchanged fleroxacin. Plasma parameters were mainly correlated with age and weight; urinary parameters were correlated with creatinine clearance. Compared with results in younger normal patients, no significant change in the t1/2 of fleroxacin or metabolites was observed. Assuming that the bioavailability (f) is complete, the apparent volume of distribution (Vd/f) was lower in elderly (0.9 +/- 0.1 L/kg) than in younger patients (1.3 +/- 0.1 L/kg) and a 2-fold decrease in apparent total clearance (CL/f) was noted (2.58 +/- 0.42 vs 4.86 +/- 0.72 L/h); plasma concentrations were consequently higher in elderly patients. Compared with patients with renal failure, the pharmacokinetics of fleroxacin and metabolites in the elderly were similar to those of patients with mild to moderate renal insufficiency. On the basis of the findings of this single dose study, no major dosage adjustments are needed for patients of this age range except for those with creatinine clearance less than 30 ml/min.