Pharmacokinetics of ceftriaxone in pediatric patients with meningitis.

Pharmacokinetics of ceftriaxone after a single dose of 50 or 75 mg/kg were determined in 30 pediatric patients with bacterial meningitis. Data for doses of 50 and 75 mg/kg, respectively, were as follows (mean +/- standard deviation): maximum plasma concentrations, 230 +/- 64 and 295 +/- 76 mug/ml; elimination rate constant, 0.14 +/- 0.06 and 0.14 +/- 0.04 h(-1); harmonic elimination half-life, 5.8 +/- 2.8 and 5.4 +/- 2.1 h; plasma clearance, 51 +/- 24 and 55 +/- 18 ml/h per kg; volume of distribution, 382 +/- 129 and 387 +/- 56 ml/kg; mean concentration in cerebrospinal fluid 1 to 6 h after infusion, 5.4 and 6.4 mug/ml. A dosage schedule of 50 mg/kg every 12 h for bacterial meningitis caused by susceptible organisms is suggested for pediatric patients over 7 days of age.