Pharmacokinetics of oral vs. intravenous dexamethasone in patients hospitalized with community-acquired pneumonia.

ABSTRACT:

Aim

The use of corticosteroids as adjunctive therapy might be effective in patients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). Oral administration of dexamethasone is a practical and safer alternative to the intravenous route. Since patients hospitalized with pneumonia might have delayed gastric emptying, this study explored systemic exposure in terms of area under the concentration-time curve (AUC) of oral dexamethasone in patients hospitalized with CAP.

Methods

In this randomized, open label study, 30 patients admitted with CAP were randomized to receive either 4 mg intravenous or 6 mg oral dexamethasone for 4 consecutive days. Serial blood samples were obtained before and after drug administration.

Results

Median AUC to infinity was 626 μg l(-1)  h (IQR 401-1161) for

SUBMITTER: Spoorenberg SM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4168382 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature