Hemodialysis clearance of intravenously administered ribavirin.

A patient with an implanted artificial heart, acute, anuric renal failure, and disseminated influenza virus type A infection received intravenous ribavirin. Drug elimination by hemodialysis was measured. Plasma dialysis clearance averaged 93.9 +/- 8.6 ml/min. The maximum amount of ribavirin removed from the body during one period of hemodialysis was 79.1 mg. Ribavirin is not removed in important quantities by hemodialysis.