What is the patient's weight that would fit the recommended dosing of cefixime (cephalosporin antibiotic)?

Weight-Based Dosing for Cefixime

For cefixime, the recommended pediatric dose is 8 mg/kg/day, which means a patient weighing 50 kg (110 lbs) would fit the standard adult dosing of 400 mg daily, as this represents the typical maximum dose regardless of weight. 1, 2

Pediatric Weight-Based Dosing

• Children should receive 8 mg/kg body weight per day for respiratory tract infections and other indicated conditions 1
• This dose can be administered either as a single daily dose or divided into two doses given 12 hours apart 1, 3
• For enteric fever specifically, 20 mg/kg/day divided into two doses has been used successfully in children 3

Weight Thresholds and Dose Calculations

• Patients weighing ≤50 kg: Calculate dose as 8 mg/kg/day (e.g., a 25 kg child would receive 200 mg daily) 1
• Patients weighing >50 kg: Use standard adult dosing of 400 mg daily 1, 2
• Maximum daily dose: 400 mg regardless of weight 2, 4

Dosing Frequency Considerations

• Twice daily dosing was preferred in clinical practice for both adults (60.4%) and children (54.4%) 1
• Single daily dosing of 400 mg is bioequivalent to 200 mg twice daily in adults, with no drug accumulation after 2 weeks of therapy 2
• Peak serum concentrations after a 400 mg dose are approximately double those after a 200 mg dose 2

Clinical Context

• The bioavailability ranges from 40-52% and is comparable whether given as 200 mg or 400 mg single doses 2
• The drug demonstrates linear pharmacokinetics over the dose range of 200-2000 mg, though not directly proportional 2
• Half-life is approximately 3-4 hours and is not dose-dependent 2