[Pharmacokinetics and clinical effects of cefdinir 5% fine granules in pediatrics].

Cefdinir (CFDN), a newly developed oral cephalosporin in 5% fine granular form, was administered to 10 boys at 1 hour before meal (in the fasting state) and concentrations of the drug in plasma and urine and its urinary recovery rates were determined. The subjects were divided into 2 groups of 5 boys each; one group received 3 mg/kg of CFDN, and the other, 6 mg/kg. To 6 of the 10 children the drug was administered in the two different dose levels using the cross-over method. To study clinical and bacteriological effects of this drug, a mean dose of 4.6 mg/kg t.i.d. was administered for 8 days on the average to 40 children with various infections; pharyngitis (4 cases), tonsillitis (2), acute bronchitis (2), pneumonia (8), scarlet fever (6), acute purulent otitis media (1), urinary tract infection (12), impetigo (2), phlegmon (1), lymphadenitis (1) and subcutaneous abscess (1). MICs were determined for 6 drugs including CFDN, cefaclor, cefixime (CFIX), methicillin, cloxacillin (MCIPC), amoxicillin (AMPC) against 13 strains of 6 species freshly isolated from children receiving CFDN. An inoculum size of 10(6) cfu/ml was used in the MIC-determinations. Adverse reactions and abnormal laboratory findings attributable to this drug were also examined in these patients. The results obtained are summarized as follows. 1. Mean plasma peak levels of CFDN were observed at 3 hours after administration in both the 3 mg/kg and 6 mg/kg groups with mean peak values of 0.68 and 1.35 micrograms/ml, respectively. Mean half-lives were 2.06 hours in the 3 mg/kg group and 1.61 hours in the 6 mg/kg group, and mean AUCs were 3.5 in the former and 6.5 micrograms.hr/ml in the latter. Thus, dose-response between the 2 doses was observed in plasma levels and AUCs. 2. To 3 patients, CFDN was given in the two different doses using the cross-over method. Mean plasma peak levels of CFDN were 0.71 and 1.31 micrograms/ml in the doses of 3 mg/kg and 6 mg/kg, respectively. Half-lives were 1.39-2.90 hours in the 3 mg/kg group and 1.21-1.48 hours in the 6 mg/kg group, with AUCs of 3.4-3.7 and 4.1-7.5 micrograms.hr/ml, respectively.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)