Penetration of Ofloxacin from Blood to Sputum

Abstract

Serum and sputum concentrations of ofloxacin were measured by a microbiological agar-well diffusion assay in nearly 100 patients after single 400, 600 or 800mg doses of ofloxacin. All patients were admitted to hospital because of acute purulent exacerbations of chronic respiratory disease, and the concentration studies were performed on the first treatment day while the sputum was still purulent. Both blood and sputum samples were tested at standardised time intervals after dosage, and concentration-time curves were constructed. C_max values in serum and sputum were 3.7 and 2.7 mg/L after 400mg ofloxacin, 7.1 and 6.1 mg/L after 600mg and 8.8 and 6.3 mg/L after 800mg. Penetration from blood to sputum, as judged from ratio of AUC values for sputum and serum, varied from 78 to 103%.