Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Review Article
Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, Rhode Island
Information on drug absorption and disposition in infants and children has increased considerably over the
past 2 decades. However, the impact of specific age-related effects on pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics,
and dose requirements remains poorly understood. Absorption can be affected by the differences in gastric
pH and stomach emptying time that have been observed in the pediatric population. Low plasma protein
concentrations and a higher body water composition can change drug distribution. Metabolic processes are
often immature at birth, which can lead to a reduced clearance and a prolonged half-life for those drugs for
which metabolism is a significant mechanism for elimination. Renal excretion is also reduced in neonates
due to immature glomerular filtration, tubular secretion, and reabsorption. Limited data are available on the
pharmacodynamic behavior of drugs in the pediatric population. Understanding these age effects provide a
mechanistic way to identify initial doses for the pediatric population. The various factors that impact pharma-
cokinetics and pharmacodynamics mature towards adult values at different rates, thus requiring continual
modification of drug dose regimens in neonates, infants, and children. In this paper, the age-related changes
in drug absorption, distribution, metabolism, and elimination in infants and children are reviewed, and the
age-related dosing regimens for this population are discussed.
Oral absorption
Gastric pH ↑ ↓ Bioavailability (weak Phenytoin,
acids) phenobarbital,
ganciclovir
↑ Bioavailability (weak Penicillin G, ampicillin,
bases) nafcillin
Gastric emptying time ↑ Delayed absorption Phenobarbital, digoxin
and sulfonamides
Intestinal CYP3A4 ↓ ↑ Bioavailability Midazolam
Intestinal GST ↑ ↓ Bioavailability Busulfan
Intestinal drug transporters ↓ ↓ Bioavailability Gabapentin
Percutaneous absorption
Hydration of epidermis ↑ ↑ Bioavailability Steroids
Intramuscular absorption
Skeletal muscle blood flow Variable Unknown n.a.
Distribution
↑ Volume of
Gentamicin, linezolid,
distribution
phenobarbital, propofol
(hydrophilic drugs)
Body water : fat ratio ↑
↓ Volume of d
istribution (lipophilic Diazepam, lorazepam
drugs)
Protein binding ↓ ↑ Free fraction of drugs Sulfonamides
Hepatic metabolism
Phase I enzyme activity ↓ ↓ Hepatic clearance Theophylline, caffeine,
midazolam
Phase II UGT enzyme activity ↓ ↓ Hepatic clearance Morphine
Renal excretion
Glomerular filtration rate ↓ ↓ Renal clearance Aminoglycosides
Renal tubular absorption and secretion ↓ ↓ Renal clearance Digoxin
↑, changes increased in values; ↓, changes decreased in values; GST, glutathione S-transferase; n.a., not available; PK, pharmacokinetic;
UGT, UDP glucuronosyltransferase.
increased with age to reach maximum levels in epidermis, greater perfusion of the subcutane-
young adults (15-38 years of age). The study also ous layer, and the larger ratio of total BSA to
found decreased levels (half the maximal adult body mass compared to adults. Thus, topically
levels) in older individuals (67-85 years).25 How- applied steroids in newborns and infants can
ever, the clinical importance of developmental result in unanticipated systemic absorption and
changes of P-gp has not been studied. has resulted in toxic effects in some instances.26
Developmental changes also can alter the ab- The absorption of intramuscularly administered
sorption of drugs by other extravascular routes. drugs may be delayed in neonates as a result of
Percutaneous absorption of drugs through skin reduced blood flow to skeletal muscles, although
may be high in newborns and infants owing to in clinical practice absorption from this route has
several factors including: better hydration of the been found to be unpredictable.27
A but it appears to be
1.2
Enzyme activity ratio to adult mean value
less crucial to the ef-
ficacy and/or toxic-
1.0
ity of drugs than the
0.8 CYP family.38 Figure
1 lists the ontogen-
0.6
esis for primary CYP
0.4 enzymes.40–47 Briefly,
0.2
CYP3A7 is the pri-
mary isoenzyme ex-
0.0 pressed during the
Fetus <24 hours 1-7 days 8-28 days 1-3 months 3-12 months Adults
prenatal period. It
Developmental groups declines rapidly after
CYP1A2 CYP2C9 CYP2C19 CYP2D6 CYP2E1 CYP3A4 birth and is barely
measurable in adults.
The expression of CY-
P2E1 and CYP2D6
B
begin to rise at the
18.0
Enzyme activity ratio to adult mean value
16alpha-hydroxylation for CYP3A7. N.D., not detectable. (Data are adapted from Ref. 40–47). Clinically, the elim-
ination of a drug is
quantified using the
unique pattern of development. parameter clearance, which is a measure of the
The majority of Phase I drug reactions are me- body’s ability to remove drug from the plasma.
diated by the cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes, The developmental changes observed in the
a super family of multiple hemeproteins. The enzymatic systems have been supported by the
specific families or enzymes that are of great- age-related changes in the clearance in several
est importance in the metabolism of drugs drugs, as well as changes in the metabolic ratios
are CYP3A4/7, 2C9, 2C19, 2D6, 1A2, 2E1, and of probe substrates to their metabolites in vivo.
2B6. 37 Other than CYPs, the flavin-containing For example, the rise of the expression of CYP2D6
monooxygenase (FMO) enzymes are also im- was associated with the rise in dextromethorphan
portant for the oxidative metabolism of a wide O-demethylation, which was assessed using
variety of therapeutic drug, including nicotine, the urinary ratio of dextromethorphan to dex-
clozapine, sulindac sulfide, and ranitidine.38,39 torphan.49,50 Similarly, the delayed ontogenesis
In comparison to the CYP family, less is known of CYP1A2 protein was consistent with the in
about the role played by this family of enzymes, vivo data where CYP1A2 mediated N3 and N7
demethylation products of caffeine represented onset of FMO3 expression results a null FMO
6% to 8% of the total biotransformation in neo- phenotype in the neonate.53 Since FMO3 is selec-
nates and increased to about 28% in infants aged tive in the N-oxygenation of trimethylamine, this
2 to 10 months.51 In addition, the developmental observation may explain the transient trimeth-
sequence of the CYP isoenzymes can also be ylaminuria reported in a 2-month-old infant.54
demonstrated by noting changes in the relative In contrast to the CYP enzymes, isoform-
amount of metabolites produced from the differ- specific quantitative data for the development of
ent pathways. For example, CYP2D6-mediated Phase II enzymes are very limited. The timelines
O-demethylation of diazepam has been reported for the detection of Phase II enzymes in the fetus,
to develop sooner than the CYP3A4-mediated neonate, and infant are shown in Table 2.55,56 The
N-demethylation by, which is in line with the in development of the uridine 5-diphosphogluc-
vitro observations on the ontogeny of CYP2D6 uronic acid glucuronyl transferases (UGTs) is of
and CYP3A4 CYP3A4.52 greatest interest since this family of enzymes is
The ontogeny of hepatic FMO exhibits a similar responsible for the metabolism of almost 15% of
developmental pattern as the CYP3A family. The drugs eliminated by metabolism.57 Several drugs
isoenzyme FMO1 has a similar developmental commonly used in the pediatric population are
pattern to CYP3A7. Its expression is at the high- substrates for the UGTs. These substrates include
est at 8 to 15 weeks of gestation. It subsequently acetaminophen (UGT1A6 and, to a lesser extent,
declines during the fetal development and com- 1A9), morphine (UGT2B7), and zidovudine
pletely absent within 72 postnatal hours. FMO3 (UGT1A6). Among the UGT isoforms, UGT
is more analogous to CYP3A4. It has negligible 1A1 and 2B7 develop quickly, and UGT1A6 and
expression in the neonatal period and becomes 1A9 develop more slowly.58 The expression of
detectable only by 1 to 2 years of age. The delayed UGT1A1, the major enzyme responsible for bili-
rubin glucuronidation, is triggered at birth and In conclusion, both Phase I and II metabolic
the activity reaches adult levels by 3 to 6 months processes are immature at birth. These deficien-
postnatal age (PNA). UGT2B7 is present in fetus, cies may result in the increased risk for drug tox-
and increases at birth. Adult levels are attained icity in infants and young children. The ontogeny
by 2 to 6 months of age. UGT1A6 is undetectable of drug-metabolizing enzymes will clearly have
in the fetus. Its expression increases slightly in to translate into age-related dosage adjustment
neonates, but does not reach adult levels until for some therapeutic agents in pediatric patients.
10 years of age. A typical example is the clinical use of theophyl-
These data are consistent with the pharmacoki- line in neonates and infants with apnea or chronic
netic data of UGT substrates assessed in vivo. For lung disease. Since the hepatic metabolism of
example, the metabolic clearance of morphine, theophylline is decreased in neonates due to
which is primarily metabolized by UGT2B7 to the protracted expression of CYP1A2, a greater
morphine 6-glucuronide and morphine-3-glu- portion of theophylline is excreted in the urine
coroide, is low in neonates and reaches adult compared to older children and adults.63 The the-
levels between 2 and 6 months.59 Morphine- ophylline clearance is about two- to three fold less
6-glucuronide, which contributes to the analge- in neonates than in adults due to the compensate
sic effect of morphine, is primarily eliminated renal elimination pathway.64 A small portion of
renally. Thus, it is possible that the clearance of theophylline is also methylated to form caf-
this metabolite will be reduced in neonates due feine, an active metabolite. Since neonates have
to immature renal function. Although lower decreased demethylation, theophylline-derived
morphine doses may be effective in neonates, caffeine cannot be easily metabolized and there-
it is difficult to translate the lower clearance of fore accumulates. As a result, the maintenance
morphine into specific dosing recommendations. dose of theophylline is substantially reduced in
As an additional complication, it is possible that neonates .65 Other drugs that undergo extensive
the opioid receptors may not be fully developed metabolism, including diazepam, phenytoin, and
in this population. 59 Similarly, acetaminophen chloramphenicol, are often observed to have pro-
glucuronidation is lower in newborns and young longed half-lives in neonates and young infants.
children compared to adolescents and adults.60 As a result, a decreased daily maintenance dose
The “gray-baby” syndrome, which is associated or an increased dosing interval may be needed
with the administration of chloramphenicol in order to avoid drug accumulation.
(substrate of UGT2B7) in neonates and consists The transporter-mediated uptake of drugs into
of emesis, abdominal distension, abnormal res- the hepatocytes and efflux into the bile is often
piration, cyanosis, cardiovascular collapse, and referred to as the Phase III hepatic pathway. Im-
death, is believed to be the result of the reduced portant uptake transporters include the organic
glucuronidation and clearance of chlorampheni- anion transporting polypeptides (OATPs), organ-
col in this population, which leads to very high ic anion transporters (OATs), and organic cation
plasma concentrations of the drug.61 transporters (OCTs). Clinically important efflux
Sulfation, another Phase II conjugation, ap- transporters at canalicular membrane include
pears to be well developed at birth. The varia- P-gp, breast cancer resistant protein (BCRP),
tion in the development and function of the two bile salt export protein (BSEP), and multidrug
Phase II reactions is reflected by acetaminophen resistance protein 1 (MRP1). At this time, there
metabolism. In early infancy, acetaminophen is are few data in humans on the ontogeny expres-
primarily converted into the sulfate conjugates, sion of liver transporters.66 There are some data
but with increasing age, glucuronidation be- on the developmental pattern of P-gp in humans.
comes the predominant form of metabolism.13 P-gp mRNA and protein were detected in human
Studies on the development of acetylation have liver as early as 11 to 14 weeks of gestation.67 A
found reduced activity in the first month of life. single study suggested that hepatic P-gp expres-
Interestingly, the effect of age appears to be less sion increases during the first few months of life
dominant than that of polymorphism of N-acet- and reaches adult levels by 2 years of age.68 The
yltransferase.56 Esterase activity is also reduced clinical significance of developmental changes in
in newborn and this may partly account for the transporter functions has not been systematically
prolonged effects of local anesthetics.62 studied in humans.
IC90 of cyclosporine
that corresponded
to 90% inhibition of
20
interleukin-2 expres-
sion in PBM cultures
was sevenfold lower
in infants than in
0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 older age groups.
The study provided
Age (month)
relevant information
Figure 2. Developmental changes of renal glomerular filtration rate (GFR) measured by
on developmental
mannitol clearance. (Data adapted from Ref. 71,72).
changes in receptor
binding characteris-
of the pharmacokinetic changes associated with tics in vitro, but this may not be reflective of the
development, little is known about receptor response in vivo, owing to the complexity of the
development, and how maturation affects the in vivo immune system. Reliable in vivo surrogate
drug-receptor interaction and response. Most markers for cyclosporine must be developed
often, the apparent developmental differences in and combined with individual PK in order to
drug efficacy or the incidence of adverse effects fully understand drug response in the pediatric
have been linked with pharmacokinetic differ- population and to identify optimum therapeutic
ences. For example, the higher acid inhibition plasma concentrations in this group.
effect of lansoprazole in infants appears to be
associated with reduced drug elimination.76,77 The APPROACH TO AGE-RELATED DOSING
increased hepatoxicity of valproic acid in young REGIMENS
children was related to increased formation of
hepatoxic metabolites.32 The existence of true Simple dosage formulas (normalized by body
age-dependent differences in receptor sensitiv- weight or BSA) and allometric scaling may be
ity appears to be supported by data on a few clinically applicable in children older than 2
drugs. For example, Takahashi et al78 reported years of age.80 In neonates and young infants,
that the mean plasma concentrations of unbound where age-related developmental changes in
S-warfarin in the prepubertal (age 1-11 years), pu- drug disposition are underway, age-specific
bertal (age 12-17 years), and adult patients were dosing regimens are needed based on observed
comparable, but the prepubertal patients showed age-related changes in bioavailability, Vd, and
significantly greater international normalized overall clearance. Those examples have been
ratio than the adult patients. The data suggested demonstrated in a widely used pediatric dos-
that prepubertal patients are more sensitive to the age handbook. However, the rationales behind
effects of warfarin than adult patients. those age-related dosing regimens have not been
Marshall and Kearns79 reported the in vi- well elaborated. This section will comment on
tro developmental PD for cyclosporine. Two the clinical study design, data collection, and
independent and specific pharmacodynamic analysis approaches, which are used to support
markers of cyclosporine-mediated immunosup- those conclusions.
pression, peripheral blood monocyte (PBM) pro- In clinical practice, when pharmacokinetic
CONCLUSION REFERENCES
29. Friis-Hansen B. Body composition during 42. Lacroix D, Sonnier M, Moncion A, et al.
growth. In vivo measurements and bio- Expression of CYP3A in the human liver–
chemical data correlated to differential ana- evidence that the shift between CYP3A7
tomical growth. Pediatrics. 1971;47(1):264- and CYP3A4 occurs immediately after
274. birth. Eur J Biochem. 1997;247(2):625-634.
30. Echeverria P, Siber GR, Paisley J, et al. Age- 43. Sonnier M, Cresteil T. Delayed ontogenesis
dependent dose response to gentamicin. J of CYP1A2 in the human liver. Eur J Bio-
Pediatr. 1975;87(5):805-808. chem. 1998;251(3):893-898.
31. McNamara PJ, Alcorn J. Protein binding 44. Stevens JC, Marsh SA, Zaya MJ, et al.
predictions in infants. AAPS PharmSci. Developmental changes in human liver
2002;4(1):E4. CYP2D6 expression. Drug Metab Dispos.
32. Anderson GD. Children versus adults: 2008;36(8):1587-1593.
pharmacokinetic and adverse-effect differ- 45. Treluyer JM, Gueret G, Cheron G, et al.
ences. Epilepsia. 2002;43(suppl 3):53-59. Developmental expression of CYP2C and
33. Ahlfors CE. Unbound bilirubin associated CYP2C-dependent activities in the human
with kernicterus: a historical approach. J liver: in-vivo/in-vitro correlation and induc-
Pediatr. 2000;137(4):540-544. ibility. Pharmacogenetics. 1997;7(6):441-452.
34. Gulian JM, Gonard V, Dalmasso C, Palix 46. Treluyer JM, Jacqz-Aigrain E, Alvarez
C. Bilirubin displacement by ceftriaxone F, Cresteil T. Expression of CYP2D6 in
in neonates: evaluation by determina- developing human liver. Eur J Biochem.
tion of ‘free’ bilirubin and erythrocyte- 1991;202(2):583-588.
bound bilirubin. J Antimicrob Chemother. 47. Vieira I, Sonnier M, Cresteil T. Develop-
1987;19(6):823-829. mental expression of CYP2E1 in the human
35. Martin E, Fanconi S, Kalin P, et al. Ceftri- liver. Hypermethylation control of gene
axone--bilirubin-albumin interactions in expression during the neonatal period. Eur
the neonate: an in vivo study. Eur J Pediatr. J Biochem. 1996;238(2):476-483.
1993;152(6):530-534. 48. Cresteil T. Onset of xenobiotic metabolism
36. Krishna DR, Klotz U. Extrahepatic metabo- in children: toxicological implications. Food
lism of drugs in humans. Clin Pharmacoki- Addit Contam. 1998;15(suppl):45-51.
net. 1994;26(2):144-160. 49. Blake MJ, Gaedigk A, Pearce RE, et al.
37. Williams JA, Hyland R, Jones BC, et al. Ontogeny of dextromethorphan O- and N-
Drug-drug interactions for UDP-glucuro- demethylation in the first year of life. Clin
nosyltransferase substrates: a pharmacoki- Pharmacol Ther. 2007;81(4):510-516.
netic explanation for typically observed low 50. Johnson TN, Tucker GT, Rostami-Hodjegan
exposure (AUCi/AUC) ratios. Drug Metab A. Development of CYP2D6 and CYP3A4
Dispos. 2004;32(11):1201-1208. in the first year of life. Clin Pharmacol Ther.
38. Krueger SK, Williams DE. Mammalian 2008;83(5):670-671.
flavin-containing monooxygenases: struc- 51. Carrier O, Pons G, Rey E, et al. Maturation
ture/function, genetic polymorphisms and of caffeine metabolic pathways in infancy.
role in drug metabolism. Pharmacol Ther. Clin Pharmacol Ther. 1988;44(2):145-151.
2005;106(3):357-387. 52. Allegaert K, Verbesselt R, Rayyan M, et
39. Phillips IR, Shephard EA. Flavin-containing al. Urinary metabolites to assess in vivo
monooxygenases: mutations, disease ontogeny of hepatic drug metabolism in
and drug response. Trends Pharmacol Sci. early neonatal life. Methods Find Exp Clin
2008;29(6):294-301. Pharmacol. 2007;29(4):251-256.
40. Hines RN. Ontogeny of human hepatic 53. Koukouritaki SB, Simpson P, Yeung CK,
cytochromes P450. J Biochem Mol Toxicol. et al. Human hepatic flavin-containing
2007;21(4):169-175. monooxygenases 1 (FMO1) and 3 (FMO3)
41. Koukouritaki SB, Manro JR, Marsh SA, et developmental expression. Pediatr Res.
al. Developmental expression of human 2002;51(2):236-243.
hepatic CYP2C9 and CYP2C19. J Pharmacol
Exp Ther. 2004;308(3):965-974.
78. Takahashi H, Ishikawa S, Nomoto S, et al. 89. Ginsberg G, Hattis D, Russ A, Sonawane
Developmental changes in pharmacoki- B. Physiologically based pharmacokinetic
netics and pharmacodynamics of warfarin (PBPK) modeling of caffeine and theophyl-
enantiomers in Japanese children. Clin line in neonates and adults: implications
Pharmacol Ther. 2000;68(5):541-555. for assessing children’s risks from envi-
79. Marshall JD, Kearns GL. Developmental ronmental agents. J Toxicol Environ Health
pharmacodynamics of cyclosporine. Clin A. 2004;67(4):297-329.
Pharmacol Ther. 1999;66(1):66-75. 90. Khalil F, Laer S. Physiologically based phar-
80. Johnson TN, Rostami-Hodjegan A, Tucker macokinetic modeling: methodology, appli-
GT. Prediction of the clearance of eleven cations, and limitations with a focus on its
drugs and associated variability in neo- role in pediatric drug development. J Biomed
nates, infants and children. Clin Pharmaco- Biotechnol. 2011;doi:10.1155/2011/907461.
kinet. 2006;45(9):931-956. 91. Johnson TN, Rostami-Hodjegan A. Resur-
81. Barker CI, Standing JF, Turner MA, et al. gence in the use of physiologically based
Antibiotic dosing in children in Europe: pharmacokinetic models in pediatric
can we grade the evidence from pharma- clinical pharmacology: parallel shift in
cokinetic/pharmacodynamic studies–and incorporating the knowledge of biological
when is enough data enough? Curr Opin elements and increased applicability to
Infect Dis. 2012;25(3):235-242. drug development and clinical practice.
82. Marsot A, Boulamery A, Bruguerolle B, Si- Paediatr Anaesth. 2011;21(3):291-301.
mon N. Population pharmacokinetic analy- 92. Yang F, Tong X, McCarver DG, et al.
sis during the first 2 years of life: an overview. Population-based analysis of methadone
Clin Pharmacokinet. 2012;51(12):787-798. distribution and metabolism using an
83. Meibohm B, Laer S, Panetta JC, Barrett JS. age-dependent physiologically based
Population pharmacokinetic studies in pharmacokinetic model. J Pharmacokinet
pediatrics: issues in design and analysis. Pharmacodyn. 2006;33(4):485-518.
AAPS J. 2005;7(2):E475-487. 93. Yun YE, Edginton AN. Correlation-based
84. Peeters MY, Prins SA, Knibbe CA, et al. prediction of tissue-to-plasma partition
Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics coefficients using readily available input
of midazolam and metabolites in nonven- parameters. Xenobiotica. 2013;43(10):839-
tilated infants after craniofacial surgery. 852. doi:10.3109/00498254.2013.770182
Anesthesiology. 2006;105(6):1135-1146. 94. Roberts R, Rodriguez W, Murphy D, Cres-
85. Bartelink IH, Rademaker CM, Schobben AF, cenzi T. Pediatric drug labeling: improving
van den Anker JN. Guidelines on paediatric the safety and efficacy of pediatric thera-
dosing on the basis of developmental physi- pies. JAMA. 2003;290(7):905-911.
ology and pharmacokinetic considerations. 95. Manolis E, Osman TE, Herold R, et al.
Clin Pharmacokinet. 2006;45(11):1077-1097. Role of modeling and simulation in pedi-
86. Bouzom F, Walther B. Pharmacokinetic atric investigation plans. Paediatr Anaesth.
predictions in children by using the physio- 2011;21(3):214-221.
logically based pharmacokinetic modelling. 96. Zhao P, Zhang L, Grillo JA, et al. Applica-
Fundam Clin Pharmacol. 2008;22(6):579-587. tions of physiologically based pharmaco-
87. Edginton AN, Schmitt W, Willmann S. kinetic (PBPK) modeling and simulation
Development and evaluation of a generic during regulatory review. Clin Pharmacol
physiologically based pharmacokinetic Ther. 2011;89(2):259-267.
model for children. Clin Pharmacokinet.
2006;45(10):1013-1034.
88. Bjorkman S. Prediction of drug disposi-
tion in infants and children by means of
physiologically based pharmacokinetic
(PBPK) modelling: theophylline and mid-
azolam as model drugs. Br J Clin Pharmacol.
2005;59(6):691-704.