JLE

Journal de Pharmacie Clinique

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Comparison of two fast physical measurements for the dose control of cytotoxic injectable preparations before administration. Application to 5-Fluorouracile Volume 19, issue 1, Mars 2000

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Service de biologie clinique et pharmacie, Centre Henri-Becquerel, rue d’Amiens, 76038 Rouen Cedex.

Drug dosage is of paramount importance in the treatment of cancer and is currently adjusted to physiological functions and pharmacokinetic, morphometric and biological patient characteristics. To contribute to it, the pharmacists must improve the accuracy of anticancer admixtures and control the adequacy between the prescribed amount and that is prepared before administration to patients. As a model, 5-Fluorouracile (450-1 600 mg) diluted with 5 % glucose in minibags (100-1 000 ml) was selectionned. Two fast methods were studied: weighing and UV spectrophotometry at 265 nm. Correlation between the prescribed dose and ponderal measurement is excellent; it is very good with the spectrophotometric method. The two methods require only 10-60 seconds without other cost that that of equipment. The balance or spectrophotometer can be interfaced with a computer what makes it possible to give alarm in the event of defect and facilite the inscription of the measured dose in regular or medical register. Each method studied was found to have advantages. Weighting is very fast and simple. Spectrophometric measurement allows the drug identification and is precious if colorless but requires a spectral characteristic.