Transfer kinetics of pefloxacin into cerebro-spinal fluid after one hour iv infusion of 400 mg in man

Nine subjects (5 women) aged between 17-66 years, with hydrocephalus were studied. An external ventricular drain was introduced for diagnostic purposes. Cerebro-spinal fluid (CSF) and plasma samples were obtained at suitable intervals after 1 h infusion of 400 mg pefloxacin. In plasma, pefloxacin Cmax was 8.54 +/- 1.53 (mean +/- S.E.M.) mg/l, at the end of infusion, whereas N-desmethyl pefloxacin concentration was 0.17 +/- 0.03 mg/l. The metabolite accounted for only 2% of plasma levels of pefloxacin. In CSF, pefloxacin Cmax was 2.97 +/- 0.32 mg/l, 5-6 h after the start of infusion, whereas N-desmethyl pefloxacin Cmax varied between 0.1-0.2 mg/l. Apart from the 1 h sample, the CSF/plasma ratio of pefloxacin was 60% which is similar to the unbound fraction of pefloxacin in plasma. The apparent half-life (T1/2) of transfer of pefloxacin from plasma to CSF was 1.26 +/- 0.18 h, assuming a first order process, while the apparent elimination T1/2 in CSF was 13.40 +/- 1.76 h, which is similar to the elimination T1/2 found previously in plasma, thus accumulation of pefloxacin in CSF is unlikely. With the present dosage regimen, CSF quickly attains therapeutic levels of pefloxacin.