Paediatric Pharmacokinetics: Key Considerations

Overview

Journal Br J Clin Pharmacol

Specialty Pharmacology

Date 2015 Apr 10

PMID 25855821

Citations 103

Authors

Hannah Katharine Batchelor

John Francis Marriott

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

A number of anatomical and physiological factors determine the pharmacokinetic profile of a drug. Differences in physiology in paediatric populations compared with adults can influence the concentration of drug within the plasma or tissue. Healthcare professionals need to be aware of anatomical and physiological changes that affect pharmacokinetic profiles of drugs to understand consequences of dose adjustments in infants and children. Pharmacokinetic clinical trials in children are complicated owing to the limitations on blood sample volumes and perception of pain in children resulting from blood sampling. There are alternative sampling techniques that can minimize the invasive nature of such trials. Population based models can also limit the sampling required from each individual by increasing the overall sample size to generate robust pharmacokinetic data. This review details key considerations in the design and development of paediatric pharmacokinetic clinical trials.

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