Peritoneal absorption of moxalactam.

We evaluated the rate and extent of the systemic absorption of moxalactam given intraperitoneally to patients with peritonitis and end-stage renal disease who were being maintained on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis. Moxalactam was administered at a concentration of 200 mg per 2-liter dialysate for the first dose, followed by 60 mg per 2-liter exchange for 23 1-h exchanges. Moxalactam concentrations in serum (mean +/- standard deviation) were 2.5 +/- 0.9 mg/liter after the first hourly dialysis, increasing to 10.3 +/- 4.8 mg/liter after 24 h of drug administration. Moxalactam levels in serum at 1 h were above the minimal inhibitory concentrations for most gram-negative organisms except Pseudomonas aeruginosa. No adverse effects of the drug were observed.