Levodopropizine Dosing in Children
The recommended dose of levodopropizine in children is 2 mg/kg/day, administered orally in divided doses (typically three times daily). 1, 2
Dosing Regimen
- Standard pediatric dose: 2 mg/kg/day divided into three doses (approximately 0.67 mg/kg per dose, three times daily) 1, 2
- Treatment duration is typically 3-5 days, adjusted based on clinical response 1, 2
- The medication is available in oral drops formulation for ease of administration in pediatric patients 1
Evidence Base
The 2 mg/kg/day dosing regimen has been validated in multiple pediatric studies:
- A study of 70 hospitalized children (mean age 4.5 years) with various respiratory tract infections demonstrated efficacy and safety at 2 mg/kg/day for 5 days 1
- A comparative trial of 254 evaluable children showed that levodopropizine at 2 mg/kg three times daily was as effective as dropropizine 1 mg/kg three times daily, with statistically significant reductions in coughing frequency and nocturnal awakenings (P < 0.001) 2
- Importantly, levodopropizine carried a lower risk of daytime somnolence (5.3%) compared to dropropizine (10.3%), making it preferable for maintaining quality of life during treatment 2
Safety Profile
- Gastrointestinal symptoms are typically mild when they occur 2
- The drug demonstrates a favorable safety margin, with toxicology studies showing safety up to dosages 10 times greater than the clinical dose 3
- No adverse effects on respiratory function, spirometric parameters, or airway clearance mechanisms have been documented 4
Clinical Context
Levodopropizine is a peripheral antitussive indicated for non-productive cough in children with respiratory tract infections, including acute bronchitis, asthmatic attacks, bronchopneumonia, and tracheitis 1. It should be used as an adjuvant to primary treatment (antibiotics, bronchodilators) when cough suppression is clinically beneficial 1.