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Abstract
Effective analgesia in neonates is still hampered owing to a lack of data on pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of analgesics. In this article, the consecutive steps taken to document aspects of disposition (pharmacokinetics and metabolism) and safety (hepatic tolerance, hemodynamic stability and effects on body temperature) during exposure to intravenous acetaminophen in neonates are summarized. Based on these data, dosing suggestions were formulated. However, we have to be aware that such dosing suggestions are – at present – without any validated pharmacodynamic correlates since the applicability of a fixed acetaminophen target concentration (10 mg·l-1) in neonates of different subpopulations remains to be documented. In addition, the number of observations in extreme preterm neonates is limited. Finally, epidemiological data suggest a link between perinatal acetaminophen exposure and an increased risk to developing asthma. Consequently, well designed and appropriately powered pharmacodynamic studies in neonates are urgently required, with specific emphasis on extreme preterm neonates.
Financial & competing interests disclosure
Karel Allegaert is supported by the Fund for Scientific Research, Flanders, Belgium (FWO Vlaanderen) by a Fundamental Clinical Investigatorship (1800209N). The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.
No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.