PharmCalc: program for the calculation of clinical pharmacokinetic parameters of methotrexate

A new program package (PharmCalc) has been developed for the calculation of basic pharmacokinetic parameters (half-time, systemic clearance, renal clearance, AUC, volume of distribution, CSF/serum distribution ratio) of methotrexate (MTX). The program helps in the early recognition of patients at risk for toxicity and calculates the dosage of folinic acid rescue adjusted to the serum levels of MTX. The program offers a standardized and automated evaluation procedure for MTX pharmacokinetics and provides an easy-to-use tool for further research in this field. The concept and routines of the program are described.