ACCUMULATION OF NEW QUINOLONES IN THE BLOOD OF ELDERLY PATIENTS

The correlation between serum levels of five new quinolones (norfloxac in, ofloxacin, enoxacin, ciprofloxacin and lomefloxacin), age and 24 h creatinine clearance was studied in 180 patients. One of five new qui nolones was orally administered, before transurethral resection of the prostate, at the dosage of 200 mg three times daily for 3 consecutive days. Serum levels were checked 5.5 h or about 17 h after the final a dministration. Creatinine clearance was found to be negatively correla ted with aging (P < 0.001). After oral administration, the level of ce rtain accumulated new quinolones in serum increased with the age of pa tients (P < 0.001 - 0.1). This tendency was more marked for ofloxacin, lomefloxacin and enoxacin than for ciprofloxacin and norfloxacin. The investigators concluded that the level of accumulated new quinolones in serum with aging is correlated to the 24 h urinary excretion rate o f each new quinolone. These results indicate that ofloxacin, lomefloxa cin and enoxacin, which have higher 24 h urinary excretion rates, shou ld be administered at lower doses according to the age of the patient, in order to prevent adverse reactions.