Pharmacokinetics of a single dose of teicoplanin in burn patients.

Patients with severe burns are susceptible to infection with Gram-positive organisms including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, and often require higher antibiotic dosages compared with other patients. This study examined the pharmacokinetics of a single iv dose of teicoplanin (12 mg/kg) in 15 adults and five children with severe burns. Adults were aged 21-82 years with a median total body surface area (TBSA) burn of 30% (range 15-60%).

Antibiotic prophylaxis in cardiac surgery: factors associated with potentially toxic serum concentrations of gentamicin.

Aminoglycosides are commonly used with flucloxacillin in the prevention of wound infection and endocarditis after cardiac surgery. Earlier studies suggested that the use of aminoglycosides is associated with a small but significant rise in serum creatinine. A regression analysis was performed to identify the preoperative and postoperative factors of importance in determining serum gentamicin concentrations.

Clearance of gentamicin during cardiac surgery.

Treatment with an aminoglycoside plus flucloxacillin is commonly used to prevent wound infection and endocarditis after cardiac surgery. Cardiopulmonary bypass, blood transfusion and the lack of a steady state greatly affect handling of gentamicin. Urinary gentamicin excretion is not predictable in terms of preoperative risk factors possibly because there is no clear relationship between serum levels and gentamicin clearance.

Determination of MK-383, a non-peptide fibrinogen receptor antagonist, in human plasma and urine by radioimmunoassay.

MK-383 is a novel, non-peptide fibrinogen receptor antagonist. A sensitive and specific radioimmunoassay has been developed for the determination of this drug candidate in plasma and urine. The immunogen was prepared by coupling to albumin via the N-hydroxysuccinimide ester from which the radioligand was also prepared by reaction with [I125]iodotyrosine.

Determination of L-691,121, a new class III antiarrhythmic, and its principal metabolite in plasma by differential radioimmunoassay.

A sensitive and specific method based on radioimmunoassay (RIA) has been developed for the analysis of L-691,121, a new antiarrhythmic agent, and its major metabolite, L-692,199, in plasma. Two RIAs using immunogens and radioligands prepared from different derivatives of L-691,121 were used in conjunction to determine both parent compound and metabolite concentrations by solving simultaneous equations, since neither assay alone was adequately specific. Variable cross-reactivity factors were incorporated into the calculations to correct for non-parallel drug and metabolite displacement curves.