CONTINUOUS-INFUSION OF CEFTAZIDIME IN FEBRILE NEUTROPENIC PATIENTS WITH ACUTE MYELOID-LEUKEMIA

Twelve febrile patients with severe neutropenia, who had undergone agg ressive chemotherapy for acute myeloid leukemia, were treated empirica lly with a continuous infusion of ceftazidime 100 mg/kg/day after a 50 0 mg loading dose, in order to study the pharmacokinetics of ceftazidi me after continuous infusion and to examine the clinical applicability of continuous infusion in this patient population. Three patients had a slight decrease in renal function. All patients attained a steady-s tate ceftazidime serum level of > 20 mu g/ml within 180 to 240 min, wh ich was considered effective against most pathogens in neutropenic pat ients. The median volume of distribution for the patient group was 29. 1 I, the elimination half-life was 2.5 h and the clearance of ceftazid ime was 7.7 I/h. A subnormal kidney function influenced half-lives and clearance (but not volume of distribution), as expected. When precaut ions were taken to avoid known interactions between ceftazidime and ot her compounds to be infused simultaneously, continuous infusion of cef tazidime was applicable for treatment of neutropenic patients without major side effects.