The monitoring of serum chloramphenicol levels in children with severe infections

Serum chloramphenicol levels were evaluated in 52 children with severe infection treated intravenously with chloramphenicol succinate and orally with chloramphenicol palmitate, chloramphenicol monostearoylglycolate or chloramphenicol in capsules. Effective serum levels were recorded with all chloramphenicol preparations. The variability was largest with chloramphenicol monostearoylglycolate. In a case of neonatal Escherichia coli meningitis good serum levels of chloramphenicol were achieved with chloramphenicol palmitate orally, supporting the view that oral chloramphenicol palmitate can be used to treat serious infections in this age group. Our data and those in the literature show that monitoring of serum chloramphenicol levels in neonates is necessary. After the neonatal period monitoring of serum chloramphenicol levels is useful in avoiding too high concentrations. On the other hand, toxic effects of high concentrations can be recognized from reticulocyte and haemoglobin, neutrophil and platelet counts, which should be performed every three to four days.