Pharmacology of intraperitoneal cefazolin in patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis

Drugs and Peritoneal Dialysis

This paper is a review of the literature describing drug disposition in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) during either intermittent peritoneal dialysis (IPD) or continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD). The removal of drugs by peritoneal dialysis and drug absorption after intraperitoneal administration are examined. Detailed pharmacokinetic data extracted from the literature are presented in tabular form and are accompanied by specific dosage recommendations for dialyzed patients. Accepted literature values for parameters reflecting the effects of ESRD alone are also included. The construction of a rational dosage regimen with emphasis on the use of the aminoglycosides and the cephalosporins is described.

Safety and Efficacy of Cefazolin Sodium in the Management of Bacterial Infection and in Surgical Prophylaxis

Cefazolin sodium is a first-generation cephalosporin antibiotic and has been used worldwide since the early 1970s. It is used for the treatment of bacterial infections in various organs, such as the respiratory tract, skin and skin structure, genital tract, urinary tract, biliary tract, and bone and joint infections. It has also been used for septicemia due to susceptible gram-positive cocci (except Enterococcus), some gram-negative bacilli including E. coli, Proteus, and Klebsiella may be susceptible, and for perioperative prophylaxis. After the introduction of penicillins and other cephalosporins, occasional outbreaks of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus were noted. As a result, vancomycin use was increased; however, very recently and most alarmingly, vancomycin-resistant strains have been described. In this setting, to avoid the risk of the development of vancomycin-resistant strains further, vancomycin use should be curtailed. In consideration of this historical background, the appropriate use of antibiotics, such as dosage, dosage intervals, and the duration of administration is required not only for the protection of patients’ health but also for the prevention of the development of drug resistance. Cefazolin has been used in clinical practice for about 40 years, and a large body of evidence has been accumulated, and its efficacy and safety are well established compared with other antibiotics. Therefore, cefazolin has been chosen as a first-line anti-microbial for prophylaxis after various surgical procedures, including cardiovascular surgery, hysterectomy, arthroplasty and so on. Based on these facts, especially for the prophylaxis of surgical site infections, the first-generation cephalosporin, cefazolin, is now being “re-visited”.

Pharmacokinetics of intermittent intravenous cefazolin and tobramycin in patients treated with automated peritoneal dialysis

There is increasing use of intermittent dosing of antibiotics to treat peritoneal dialysis (PD)-related peritonitis. The disposition of intravenous cefazolin and tobramycin was studied in automated PD (APD) patients. Ten patients were recruited and received a single intravenous dose of cefazolin (15 mg/kg) and tobramycin (0.6 mg/kg). Blood and dialysate samples were collected at the beginning, middle, and end of dwells 1 to 3 (on cycler), and at the end of dwells 4 to 5 (off cycler) for a 24-h period. Baseline and 24-h urine samples were collected. Pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated using a monoexponential model. Cefazolin and tobramycin half-lives were markedly different on cycler than off cycler (cefazolin on cycler : 10.67 +/- 4.66 h; cefazolin off cycler : 23.09 +/- 5.6 h; P = 0.001; tobramycin on cycler : 14.27 +/- 4.53 h; tobramycin off cycler : 68. 5 +/- 26.47 h; P < 0.001). Mean serum and dialysate concentrations were above minimum inhibitory concentrations of susceptible organisms throughout the 24-h period for both drugs with intravenous administration. A model was developed to examine serum and dialysate concentrations after intermittent intraperitoneal administration of 15 mg/kg cefazolin and 0.6 mg/kg tobramycin. Model-predicted intraperitoneal cefazolin provides adequate serum and dialysate concentrations for 24 h. Intermittent intraperitoneal tobramycin doses must be 1.5 mg/kg for one exchange during the first day and then given as 0.5 mg/kg thereafter. It is concluded that the current empiric dosing recommendations for PD-related peritonitis may be adequate for cefazolin (15 to 20 mg/kg); however, tobramycin doses must be changed to 1.5 mg/kg intraperitoneally on day 1, then to 0.5 mg/kg intraperitoneally thereafter in APD patients.

Drug therapy in patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis. Clinical pharmacokinetic considerations

Peritoneal dialysis has become an accepted treatment modality for end-stage renal disease. The introduction of continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) has further popularised this technique. The need for adjustment of drug dosage in patients with endstage renal disease and the need for supplemental dosages following haemodialysis are well recognised. Little documentation exists concerning the need for supplemental drug dosage in patients on peritoneal dialysis. Knowledge of the influence of peritoneal dialysis on the elimination of specific drugs is essential to the rational design of dosage regimens in patients undergoing this dialysis technique. This review addresses the clinical pharmacokinetic aspects of drug therapy in patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis and considers: the efficiency of the peritoneal membrane as a dialysing membrane; the effects of peritoneal dialysis on the pharmacokinetics of drugs; the pharmacokinetic models and estimation methods for peritoneal dialysis clearance and the effects of peritoneal dialysis on drug elimination; the influence of the pharmacokinetic parameters of drugs on drug dialysability; and the application of pharmacokinetic principles to the adjustment of drug dosage regimens in peritoneal dialysis patients. Data on drugs which have been studied in peritoneal dialysis are tabulated with inclusion of pharmacokinetic and dialysability information.

The pharmacokinetics of antibiotics used to treat peritoneal dialysis-associated peritonitis

Antibiotics continue to be used frequently to treat CAPD-associated peritonitis. Selection of appropriate antibiotic doses and routes of administration has been based largely upon clinical experience. Early pharmacokinetic studies utilized patients being treated with IPD. The relevance of these studies to CAPD remains unknown. Little information exists on the effects of peritonitis on peritoneal drug transport. Until the effects of peritonitis during CAPD are better understood, pharmacokinetic data will be of limited value in designing specific treatment recommendations for this common complication of peritoneal dialysis.

Drug prescribing in renal failure: dosing guidelines for adults

The data base for rational guidelines to safe, efficacious drug prescribing in adults with renal insufficiency are presented in tabular form. Current medical literature was extensively surveyed to provide as much specific information as possible. When information is lacking, however, recommendations are based on pharmacokinetic variables in normal subjects. Nephrotoxicity, important adverse effects, and special considerations in renal patients are noted. Adjustments are suggested for hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis when appropriate.

Peritoneal absorption of moxalactam

We evaluated the rate and extent of the systemic absorption of moxalactam given intraperitoneally to patients with peritonitis and end-stage renal disease who were being maintained on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis. Moxalactam was administered at a concentration of 200 mg per 2-liter dialysate for the first dose, followed by 60 mg per 2-liter exchange for 23 1-h exchanges. Moxalactam concentrations in serum (mean +/- standard deviation) were 2.5 +/- 0.9 mg/liter after the first hourly dialysis, increasing to 10.3 +/- 4.8 mg/liter after 24 h of drug administration. Moxalactam levels in serum at 1 h were above the minimal inhibitory concentrations for most gram-negative organisms except Pseudomonas aeruginosa. No adverse effects of the drug were observed.