Abstract
A fluorometric determination of plasma indomethacin by HPLC was performed in very low birth weight (VLBW) infants born before 30 weeks' gestation. We identified 9 infants whose mothers had been treated with indomethacin over 3 days for preterm labor and 6 infants who had received indomethacin for closure of patent ductus arteriosus. In the group of antenatal indomethacin-exposed infants, the mean gestational age and mean birth body weight of infants was 26.6 weeks (±0.7) and 867.4g (±97.5), indomethacin levels in plasma at birth were from 50 to 604.5ng/ml (mean±SD): 273.1±236.1ng/ml).In 5 of 9antenatal indomethacin-exposed infants the maternal/infantile ratio was from 0.03 to 0.45 (0.28±0.18) and in 7 of 9infants mean half-life of elimination (t1/2) was 45.4hours (±11.1).In the group of infants who received indomethacin, the mean gestational age and mean birth body weight was 27.2 weeks (±0.9) and 898.7g (±142.2), the meant 1/2was 33.8hours (±21.0) and mean volume of distribution was 0.41L/kg (±0.10).Indomethacin in plasma of VLBW infants could be determined using only 20μl. Fluorometric determination of indomethacin in plasma by HPLC is useful in VLBW infants.
