Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics · 1976 · 312 citations · 0 references
PharmacyPharmacokineticsPharmacologyPediatric Clinical PharmacologyPopulation PharmacokineticsRenal PharmacokineticsAge-related Pharmacokinetic DifferencesDevelopmental PharmacologyDrug DispositionPediatric Drug EliminationPediatric PharmacokineticsPediatric PharmacologyAge-dependent PharmacokineticsChild PharmacokineticsDrug Excretion In ChildrenNeonatal Drug EliminationNeonatal Drug MetabolismPharmacokinetic Parameter AnalysisPharmacokinetics In InfancyPharmacokinetics In Neonates
The elimination of acetaminophen (APAP) following an oral dose of 10 mg/kg in newborn infants, children, and adults was compared. Urinary excretion of unchanged APAP, APAP-sulfate, and APAP-glucuronide was complete within 30 hr at all ages. Higher percentages of the dose were excreted in the urine as APAP-sulfate in neonates (0-2 days old) and children (3-9 yr old) than in 12-yr old children and adults. A pharmacokinetic analysis indicated that the higher rate of APAP-sulfate formation in younger age groups apparently compensated for a deficiency in glucuronide formation. No dramatic age-related differences in the overall elimination rate constant for APAP were observed despite the quantitative changes in the metabolic pathways during early childhood.