Diagnostic Advance
Copyright ©2013 Baishideng Publishing Group Co., Limited. All rights reserved.
World J Anesthesiol. Mar 27, 2013; 2(1): 1-7
Published online Mar 27, 2013. doi: 10.5313/wja.v2.i1.1
Clinical pharmacology of intravenous paracetamol in perinatal medicine
Karel Allegaert
Karel Allegaert, Department of Development and Regeneration, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
Karel Allegaert, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, University Hospitals Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
Author contributions: Allegaert K performed the review, wrote the review and took the full responsibilities.
Supported by The Fund for Scientific Research, Flanders, Fundamental Clinical Investigatorship, 1800209N
Correspondence to: Karel Allegaert, MD, PhD, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, University Hospital Leuven, Herestraat 49, 3000 Leuven, Belgium. karel.allegaert@uzleuven.be
Telephone: +32-16-343850 Fax: +32-16-343209
Received: December 9, 2012
Revised: March 1, 2013
Accepted: March 20, 2013
Published online: March 27, 2013
Core Tip

Core tip: Although urgently needed to further improve patient tailored pharmacotherapy, data on the clinical pharmacology in pregnant women and young infants are limited, even for commonly used drugs like paracetamol. We summarize the available observations on both pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of intravenous paracetamol in pregnant women and early infancy to illustrate the relevance of subpopulation specific observations. This includes differences in metabolic routes of elimination, in (side) effects (e.g., analgesia, hypotension, atopy) and in potential indications (patent ductus arteriosus).