Pharmacokinetics of intravenous amoxycillin and potassium clavulanate in seriously ill children

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Abstract
The pharmacokinetics of amoxycillin and potassium clavulanate were studied in 15 sick children after a 30 min iv infusion of 50 mg/kg amoxycillin and 5 mg/kg clavulanic acid as the potassium salt. Levels of both compounds in plasma were assayed mkrobiologically. Mean peak concentrations at the end of the infusion were 121·0 mg/l of amoxycillin and 12·0 mg/l of clavulanate, falling to a mean of 15·8 and 1·92 mg/l respectively after 2h. Mean (β phase T½ was 0·88 h for amoxycillin and 0·79 h for clavulanate. The elimination half-life of clavulanate in some individuals was much shorter because of higher plasma clearance. The data suggest that the treatment of some infections due to β-lactamase producing organisms in such severely ill children may require more frequent iv administration of amoxycillin and potassium clavulanate, than in less severely affected children.