Unbound cephalothin pharmacokinetics in adult burn patients are related to the elapsed time after injury.

Cephalothin (cefalotin) pharmacokinetics were evaluated for nine severely burned patients (42% +/- 9% mean burn areas) and five healthy volunteers by using non-plasma-protein-bound concentration-time profiles. Burn patients gave increased mean residence times (36%) and reduced total clearances (25%). Mean residence times and distribution volumes increased between 1 and 4 days posttrauma, suggesting that burn patient pharmacokinetics change during the initial fluid resuscitation phase of treatment.