Faropenem Dosing for a 4-Month-Old Infant
For a 4-month-old infant weighing 7.5 kg, giving faropenem at 10 mg/kg three times daily would result in 75 mg per dose (225 mg/day total), which falls within the established pediatric dosing range but is at the lower end of the recommended spectrum.
Recommended Dosing Range
The standard pediatric dosing for faropenem is 15 mg/kg/day divided into three doses, which represents the established clinical dose for treating pediatric infections 1. This translates to approximately 5 mg/kg per dose when given three times daily.
For your specific scenario:
- Your proposed dose: 10 mg/kg TDS = 75 mg per dose = 225 mg/day total
- Standard recommended dose: 15 mg/kg/day = approximately 112.5 mg/day for a 7.5 kg infant
- Higher dose range: Up to 30 mg/kg/day has been studied = approximately 225 mg/day 2
Clinical Context
Your proposed dosing of 10 mg/kg TDS (30 mg/kg/day total) matches the upper end of the studied dose range 2. Clinical studies in pediatric patients have evaluated faropenem at doses ranging from 15-30 mg/kg/day divided into three doses for 3-8 days, demonstrating excellent efficacy and safety 2.
Efficacy Data
- Clinical effectiveness rates of 90-94% were achieved in pediatric upper respiratory tract infections, otitis media, and urinary tract infections using the 15-30 mg/kg/day range 2
- Faropenem demonstrates potent activity against penicillin-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae (PRSP) and has a high bacteriological eradication rate 2
Safety Profile
- The primary adverse effect is diarrhea, occurring in approximately 12.5% of pediatric patients, with no significant difference compared to other oral beta-lactam antibiotics 2
- No serious adverse drug reactions were observed in clinical trials 2
- Compliance was reported as very good 2
Important Caveats
Age consideration: While the evidence supports faropenem use in pediatric patients, most published studies focus on children rather than specifically infants under 6 months 1, 2. At 4 months of age, this infant falls into a younger age category where clinical experience may be more limited.
Dosing frequency: The three-times-daily (TDS) dosing schedule is appropriate and matches the established regimen used in clinical trials 1, 2.
Duration: Typical treatment courses range from 3-8 days for most infections, with 5-14 days recommended for Group A streptococcal infections 2.