Comparative bioavailability and pharmacokinetics of chloramphenicol after intravenous chloramphenicol succinate in premature infants and older patients.

The bioavailability of chloramphenicol and the pharmacokinetics of chloramphenicol and chloramphenicol succinate were studied in 5 premature infants (group A), 8 full-term infants (group B) and 4 children (group C) receiving intravenous chloramphenicol succinate at steady-state. Although the total body clearances of chloramphenicol succinate were similar in the three groups, its renal clearance, 0.78 +/- 1.13 ml/min/kg, in group A was markedly lower than 4.11 +/- 2.41 ml/min/kg in group B (p less than 0.05) and 7.31 +/- 2.85 ml/min/kg in group C (p less than 0.05). The bioavailability of chloramphenicol, 0.93 +/- 0.10, in group A was considerably higher as compared to 0.71 +/- 0.14 in group B (p = 0.06) and 0.64 +/- 0.13 in group C (p less than 0.05). The elimination half-life of chloramphenicol, 10.08 +/- 6.88 h, in group A was longer than 3.48 +/- 1.52 h in group B (p less than 0.05) and 4.86 +/- 2.41 h in group C (p = 0.06). The increased bioavailability of chloramphenicol in premature infants was a result of the decreased renal clearance of chloramphenicol succinate causing a greater fraction of the chloramphenicol succinate dose to be hydrolyzed to chloramphenicol.

RCT Entities:   Population Interventions Outcomes