Effects of variations in renal function on the clinical pharmacology of bleomycin administered as an iv bolus.

The clinical pharmacology of bleomycin administered as an iv bolus has been studied in a homogeneous group of patients receiving a single regimen containing bleomycin, vinblastine, and cis-dichlorodiammineplatinum (II). These studies demonstrated that in patients with creatinine clearances greater than or equal to 35 ml/minute, the serum (or plasma) terminal elimination half-life of bleomycin was approximately 115 minutes. In patients with creatinine clearances less than 25-35 ml/minute, the terminal elimination half-life increased exponentially as the creatinine clearance decreased. The volume of distribution was approximately 20 liters, and was unaffected by changes in the creatinine clearance. The microbiologic assay and radioimmunoassay employed gave equivalent results.