Hazards of Antimicrobial Therapy in Newborn Infants

Abstract

It has long been recognized that many of the pathways for absorption, metabolism or excretion of drugs do not operate identically in infants and in adults, but systematic application of these known facts to drug therapy in newborn infants has awaited a series of tragic events. Examples of serious untoward effects of drugs in infants are presented to illustrate the danger of drawing conclusions from insufficient data. Each infant, his symptoms, his diseases, and even his death must be reviewed closely to determine the reasons for the findings.