Activity of imipenem in an in-vitro model simulating pharmacokinetic parameters in human blood.

The behaviour of Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa was studied in human blood, when exposed to imipenem concentrations rising from zero to a maximum of 6.5 mg/l in 1.9 h, and gradually decreasing to below detection level of less than 0.22 mg/l at 12 h. Under these conditions there was a marked bactericidal activity and a long-acting effect of imipenem.