PRELIMINARY STUDY OF THE ADMINISTRATION OF CARBAPENEM ANTIBIOTICS IN SEPSIS PATIENTS ON THE BASIS OF THE ADMINISTRATION TIME

It is important to take into consideration the duration for which the plasma concentration of the drug is higher than the Minimal Inhibitory Concentration during treatment with carbapenem antibiotics, because the antibiotics are time-dependent drugs. A preliminary study of the administration of carbapenem antibiotics on the basis of the pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics (PK/PD) was conducted. Subjects: Ten patients with intraabdominal infection. Methods: The patients were divided into two groups: the first group was assigned to administration of acarbapenem antibiotic (meropenem) at a daily dose of 0.5 g in 3 divided doses, each dose by intravenous infusion over 3 hours (Group 3 H), and the other group was assigned to administration of each dose over 30 minutes (Group 30 M). The body temperature (BT), white blood cell count (WBC), serum C-reactive protein (CRP) level, and the systemic inflammatory reactive syndrome (SIRS) score before and 96 hours after the drug administration were compared between Group 3 H and Group 30 M. Results: There were 5 patients (mean age, 67.4±14.6 years) in Group 3 H and 5 patients (mean age, 60.0±12.8 years) in Group 30 M. The evaluated parameters (BT, WBC, CRP, SIRS score) before the drug administration in Groups 3 H and 30 M were not significant. Group 3 H showed significant decreases in the SIRS scores at 96 hours after the drug administration, however, there were no significant differences in the BT, WBC or CRP between the two groups. Discussion: Group 3 H showed early improvement in the SIRS scores. Administration of carbapenem antibiotics based on the PK/PD is important, and requires further studies.