[Study on intravenous drip infusion therapy of cefotiam in neonates and infants].

Intravenous drip infusion (d.i.) of cefotiam (CTM) in neonates and infants produced the following pharmacokinetic and clinical results: In a 2 and 3 day-old neonates group, blood concentrations at 1 and 5 hours after intravenous drip infusion of 20 mg/kg of CTM were 33.0 micrograms/ml and 12.3 micrograms/ml, respectively. Thus high blood CTM levels were maintained in these cases. In a 4 day-old neonate, blood concentrations after 1 and 6 hours were 20.5 micrograms/ml and 5.8 micrograms/ml. respectively. In a 8-13 day-old neonates group, blood levels after 1 and 6 hours were 12.2-18.5 micrograms/ml and 0.7-2.4 micrograms/ml, respectively. Compared to the corresponding values in the 2 and 3 day-old neonates, the blood CTM levels in this group were low. Half-lives of CTM in the blood were 1.8-2.7 hours, 2.1 hours, 1.1-1.7 hours and 0.7 hour, in 2-3 day-old neonates, 4 day-old neonate, 8-13 day-old neonates and a 45 day-old infant, respectively. Half-lives tended to become shorter with increasing age. The 6-hour urinary recoveries ranged between 20.3 and 62.3%. Transport of the drug into the spinal fluid was also observed. The CTM was very effective in the treatment of 6 patients suffering from suppurative meningitis, septicemia, bronchopneumonia or UTI with ampicillin-resistant E. coli. The daily dose ranged between 41 and 175 mg/kg. The duration of the treatment was 5 to 18 days, with total doses of 0.72 to 16.25 g. In only one case, a transient eosinophilia was noted.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)