Research presentations
The challenges in drug treatment of babies on extra
corporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) were presented in a poster by HUSSAIN
MULLA (Leicester University Hospitals NHS Trust). The poster looked at
the pharmacokinetics of gentamicin. The results showed that neonates receiving
ECMO have significantly altered gentamicin pharmacokinetics compared to
the normal neonatal population. Using a "normal" dosing regimen for this
group of severely ill neonates may produce toxic peak and trough levels.
Instead, an initial dosing regimen of 2.5mg/kg/24h produced more satisfactory
plasma levels.
TREVOR JOHNSON and colleagues (Sheffield Children's
Hospital) presented data on the pharmacokinetics of oral midazolam in
children. Midazolam is a short-acting benzodiazepine with potent sedative,
amnesic and anxiolytic properties. Although midazolam does not have a
product license for oral administration, it is widely used for preoperative
sedation in paediatrics, although there are few published studies on its
pharmacokinetics when given orally. Analysis of data obtained on 45 children
(aged nine months to 12 years) indicated that dosage adjustment based
on body surface area, rather than weight, may be a more appropriate method
of calculation.
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