CLINICAL PHARMACOKINETICS OF THEOPHYLLINE DURING CO-TREATMENT WITH TICARCILLIN PLUS CLAVULANIC ACID IN PATIENTS SUFFERING FROM ACUTE EXACERBATION OF CHRONIC-BRONCHITIS

The effect of ticarcillin/clavulanic acid, taken for 7 days as vials c ontaining 1000 mg of ticarcillin and 200 mg of clavulanic acid twice d aily intramuscularly, on the steady-state pharmacokinetics of theophyl line was studied in 12 patients suffering from acute exacerbation of c hronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Initially, patients were treated for four days with theophylline as sustained-release formulation in t he amount of 600 mg daily; on the last day, blood samples were taken f or theophylline determination. Theophylline concentrations were measur ed serially for 12 hours by the method of polarized immunofluorescence (Abbott TDx system). Subsequently, while theophylline was continued a t the same dosage, each patient received in addition ticarcillin/clavu lanic acid vials every 12 hours. After seven days of this combined med ication, the serial assays of plasma were repeated at the same time in tervals as before. No influence of ticarcillin/clavulanic acid was det ectable on the steady-state theophylline pharmacokinetics. It is concl uded that both drugs can be administered concomitantly without any dos age adjustement of theophylline.