Deconvolution applied to the kinetics of extracorporal drug removal. Haemodialysis of cefsulodin.

A novel approach to the evaluation of the kinetics of drug removal by an extracorporal device (ECD), e.g., haemodialysis, haemofiltration, and haemoperfusion, is presented. The rate and extent of extracorporal drug removal (ECR) are determined by deconvolution. The proposed method is model independent in the sense that no specific models of corporal or extracorporal disposition are required. The estimation of various derived functions and parameters useful for describing ECR such as clearance and fractional drug removal are facilitated by the technique. The kinetics of cefsulodin elimination by haemodialysis in 3 patients were evaluated using the deconvolution approach. The results indicated that cefsulodin was dialyzable with approximately 50% of the drug in the body removed by haemodialysis over 3-4 h.