Abstract
The newborn infant is exposed to caffeine either transplacentally or postnatally for the treatment of apnea. Using a one-compartment model, the pharmacokinetic disposition of caffeine in the neonate was determined. Caffeine (as the citrate salt) was given to 10 premature infants with apnea at a dose of 5 to 20 mg/kg via intravenous infusion for 10 to 20 min. Caffeine was measured in 10 μl of plasma by radioimmunoassay (Cook, Research Triangle Park, N.C). Blood samples were obtained by heelsticks at 2 to 8h interval for 72 to 86h. Relative to adult whose T4 is 3 to 5h, caffeine was eliminated slowly.
Neither AVd, T4, kel nor clearance correlated with birth weight or postnatal, gestational or postconceptional age. The data show that a loading dose of 10 mg/kg of caffeine (or 20 mg/kg of caffeine citrate) achieves a peak plasma concentration (Cp) of 8 to 14 mg/L. Maintenance dose of 2.2 mg/kg/24 h maintained Cp of 10 mg/L. The 7-fold range of individual caffeine clearance makes monitoring of Cp mandatory during maintenance therapy for apnea.
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Aranda, J., Gorman, W., Outerbridge, E. et al. PHARMACOKINETIC DISPOSITION OF CAFFEINE IN PREMATURE NEONATES WITH APNEA. Pediatr Res 11, 414 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-197704000-00268
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-197704000-00268
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