[Pharmacokinetics of aztreonam in peripheral venous serum, uterine arterial serum and intrapelvic female organs].
The concentrations of aztreonam (SQ 26,776, AZT, Squibb) in peripheral venous serum, uterine arterial serum and intrapelvic female organs were determined by bioassay, using the cylinder-plate diffusion method, in 27 women with simple total hysterectomy. With an intravenous injection of AZT 1 g, the maximum levels of peripheral venous serum and uterine arterial serum were 76.39 micrograms/ml and 76.38 micrograms/ml, respectively. Also, the biological half-life (T1/2) was 1.56 hours in peripheral venous serum and 1.54 hours in uterine arterial serum. The concentration in uterine arterial serum was more than 1.8 micrograms/ml at 8 hours after injection and maintained at a high level than the minimal inhibitory concentration necessary for most Gram-negative bacteria for at least 8 hours. The concentrations of AZT in female genital organs were kept higher than the minimal inhibitory concentration against E. coli at 4 hours after injection, and the ratios of the concentrations in uterine tube and endometrium to that in peripheral venous serum were 0.40 +/- 0.18 and 0.30 +/- 0.20, respectively. Since AZT is characterized by more potent antibacterial activity against Gram-negative bacteria and the minimal side effects, intravenous administration of AZT at 1 g or 2 g per day may be an adequate dose for infections of the female urogenital tract.