PHARMACOKINETICS OF KETOROLAC IN CHILDREN AFTER ABDOMINAL-SURGERY

The pharmacokinetics of 2 doses of intravenous ketorolac (0.5 and 0.9 mg x kg(-1)) were studied in 14 children (age 2 - 8 years). A single d ose of the drug was injected into the dorsum vein of one hand. Blood s amples were collected at regular time intervals for 6 hours. Serum ket orolac concentrations were assayed using a high pressure liquid chroma tography method. Pharmacokinetic values were estimated by a nonlinear computer program. The distribution volume (Vd(area)), the total cleara nce (Cl-total), and elimination half-life (t(1/2 beta)) were similar i n both groups of children who either received 0.5 or 0.9 mg x kg(-1) o f ketorolac. The estimated geometric mean Vd(area), Cl-total, and t(1/ 2 beta) ratios (95% CI in parentheses) for 0.9 mg x kg(-1): 0.5 mg x k g(-1) were 1.24 (0.82, 1.50), 1.14 (0.88, 1.23), and 1.083 (0.40, 1.81 ), respectively. The pharmacokinetic parameters found in this study ar e different from those found by other authors in adult subjects.