Neonates dosing interval

The pharmacokinetics of ketoprofen has also been studied in neonatal foals. Neonatal foals clear ketoprofen more slowly and have a larger than adult horses (VVilcke et al 1998). It is important to note that these studies were carried out in healthy normal foals and that pharmacokinetic parameters could be altered in sick or compromised foals. Nevertheless, the results of these studies suggest that the initial dose of ketoprofen may need to be increased in neonatal foals and the subsequent dosing interval increased in order to produce plasma concentrations comparable to adults (Wilcke et al 1998). 

Host factors can help to ensure selection of the most appropriate antimicrobial agent. Age is an important factor in antimicrobial selection. With regard to dose and interval, renal and hepatic function varies with age. Populations with diminished renal function include neonates and the elderly. Hepatic function in the neonate is not fully developed, and drugs that are metabolized or eliminated by this route may produce adverse effects. For example, sulfonamides and ceftriaxone may compete with bilirubin for binding sites and may result in hyperbilirubinemia and kernicterus. Gastric acidity also depends on... 

Solution (1 10,000) The adult IV dose for hypersensitivity reactions or to relieve bronchospasm usually ranges from 0.1 to 0.25 mg (1 to 2.5 mL of 1 10,000 solution) injected slowly. Neonates may be given a dose of 0.01 mg/kg for the infant, 0.05 mg is an adequate initial dose, and this may be repeated at 20- to 30-minute intervals in the management of asthma attacks. 

Penicillins, for example, are cleared by preterm infants at 17% of the adult rate based on comparable surface area and 34% of the adult rate when adjusted for body weight. The dosage of ampicillin for a neonate less than 7 days old is 50-100 mg/kg/d in two doses at 12-hour intervals. The dosage for a neonate over 7 days old is 100-... 

Single-dose pharmacokinetic studies may provide sufficient information for dosage selection in medicinal product that exhibit linear pharmacokinetics. Medicinal products that exhibit non-linearity in absorption, distribution and elimination may require steady-state studies. Such an approach has been used to assess the pharmacokinetics of an extemporaneously prepared sotalol syrup formulation in neonates, infants, and younger and older children. Scheduled blood samples were taken over a 36-hour time interval following dose administration (Saul et al, 2001). 

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