A Closer Look at the Mean Residence Time (MRT) Concept Based on Statistical Moments

Abstract

Mean Residence Time (MRT) based on statistical moments, presuming the residence time of drug in a system to be in congruence with a frequency distribution curve, can give reliable estimate of true MRT only for monoexponential distributions (one-compartment models). However, significantly erroneous results are obtained for the frequently observed biexponential (two-compartment models) distributions. There is a definite need for reassessment of this increasingly popular concept, particularly focussing on this conceptual misunderstanding, in view of its true potential and applicability.