Integration of pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of methicillin in curative treatment of experimental endocarditis.

The rabbit model for Staphylococcus aureus endocarditis was used to compare cure rate and pharmacokinetic profile of four dosing regimens of methicillin. Equal daily doses (120 mg/kg) in five day treatment periods were given to 40 rabbits. Doses were given by bolus 20 mg/kg every 4 h (q 4 h), 40 mg/kg every 8 h (q 8 h), 60 mg/kg every 12 h (q 12 h) or by continuous infusion. The methicillin pharmacokinetics resulting from each regimen were monitored along with the course of the infection in each rabbit. For each regimen, time above MBC, peak height, area under the curve (AUC) above MIC and MBC were measured. Post antibiotic effect (PAE) duration and log growth time (LGT) values were obtained from the literature. Significantly more rabbits treated by q 4 h and q 8 h (P less than 0.05) survived 14 days after cessation of methicillin treatment than did rabbits treated q 12 h or continuous infusion. The four regimens differed in peak concentration and time above MBC. Despite producing the highest peak concentrations, the q 12 h regimen was the least effective. The duration above MBC was 2.0, 1.5, and 0.6 hours for q 12 h, q 8 h and q 4 h regimens, respectively. Continuous infusion produced methicillin concentration just above MBC over the entire five day treatment period, but was not as effective as q 4 h or q 8 h regimens. The most successful intermittent bolus regimens were those in which the sum of time above MBC, the duration of PAE, and one LGT were approximately equal to the actual dosage interval.