SABRI M R, KADIVAR M R, BORZOUEE M. SERUM PENICILLIN LEVEL A FTER INTRAMUSCULA R INJECTION OF 1,200,000 UNITS OF BENZATHINE PENICILLIN G IN CHILDREN WITH RHEUMATIC FEVER. Med J Islam Repub Iran 2000; 14 (1) :23-26
URL:
http://mjiri.iums.ac.ir/article-1-895-en.html
From the Cardiology Units, Pediatric Department, Nemazee Hospital, Shiraz, l.R.lran.
Abstract: (4104 Views)
The most accepted method of secondary prophylaxis in rheumatic fever (RF)
has been an injection of 1,200,000 units of benzathine penicillin G (BPG) every
4 weeks, but recurrences have been reported in some patients despite such a
prophylaxis program. The WHO recommended BPG injections every 3 weeks in
high risk patients and situations due to some published data in favor of inadequacy
of once every 4 weeks injection of BPG.
Our study was designed to determine serum penicillin levels (SPL) during the
4 weeks after an intramuscular injection of 1,200,000 units of BPG, in order to find
the appropriate interval between BPG injections and also to assess the effects of
weight and sex on this level. We included 42 RF patients (mean±SD=14.8±11.9
years) in our study. SPL was determined by disk agar diffusion method. In this
study the minimum accepted SPL to be effective against group A β-hemolytic
streptococci was 0.02 µg/mL. In 46% of the patients the mean SPL decreased to
<0.02 µg/mL at the end of the third week (mean ±SD=2.35 ± 1.3 weeks). The mean
SPLs were significantly higher in patients who weighed <45 kg
(mean±SD=38.6±4.3 kg) in comparison with those who weighed 2:45 kg
(mean±SD=54.25±4.87 kg), with a p value <0.0001. There was no significant
differences in mean SPL between boys and girls (p =0.145). Although in this study
the mean SPL was <0.02 µg/mL in 46% of patients at the end of the third week,
we could not recommend every 3 weeks injections of BPG in all patients, except
in high risk patients and situations as recommended by the WHO and also in those
patients who weighed 2:45 kg.
Type of Study:
Original Research |
Subject:
Pediatric