OBJECTIVETo investigate the changes in pharmacokinetic parameters of vancomycin in the subeschar tissue fluid (STF) at early post-burn stage in patients with severe burns.

METHODSTen patients with severe burns were enrolled in the study and received intravenous injection of 500 mg vancomycin at an even rate within 60 mins 1 to 2 hours after admission. A total of 0.5 ml STF was collected each time and the concentration of vancomycin in the STF was determined by fluorescence polarization immunoassay (FPIA) method at 1, 2, 4, 8, 24, 48, 96, 144, 192, 240 post-burn hours (PBH). Pharmacokinetic parameters of vancomycin were produced by program 3P97 and statistically analyzed by program package SPSS10. 0.

RESULTSThe STF concentration-time curves of vancomycin were best fit in two compartment model. Pharmacokinetic parameters of vancomycin in the STF were: t1/2alpha = (3.7 +/- 2.6) h, t1/2beta = (92 +/- 12)h, Vc = (26 +/- 6)L, AUC = (1279 +/- 256) microg x h x ml(-1), CLs = (0.40 +/- 0.08) L/h.

CONCLUSIONWhen vancomycin is used early after severe burns, the drug can be retained in the third space, and the concentration of the drug can be maintained for over 24hrs, and it is beneficial to form an antibiotic barrier around the wound to prevent an invasive bacterial infection to the burn wound.