Pharmacometrics in Pediatrics.

Pharmacometrics have advanced from compartmental analysis to noncompartmental analysis and population pharmacokinetics that require complicated mathematical programs. These sophisticated mathematical analyses determine not only the usual pharmacometric measures of clearance and volume of distribution but also the effects of covariates on these measures. Although these analyses are very suitable to studies of small patient populations often encountered in pediatric studies, most pediatric clinicians have not been trained in how these analyses are conducted or the meaning of the results of these analyses expressed in terms of error measures and fixed and variable effects. In addition, clinicians may not be able to evaluate whether their patient population is adequately represented in the analysis. Thorough and clear descriptions of the methodology and the strengths and weaknesses of these analyses need to be published in journals read by clinicians.