104 Thorax 1994;49:104-106 into tissues Antibiotic penetration lung Thorax: first published as 10.1136/thx.49.2.104 on 1 February 1994. Downloaded from Effective antibiotic treatment for lung infections requires ments of bronchial biopsy samples. Radiolabelled markers an amount of drug at the site of infection sufficient to have shown extracellular water to be about 40% of total achieve or exceed the minimum inhibitory concentration biopsy weight.'2 (MIC) for that antibiotic against the pathogen. Recent Aminoglycosides are too polar to pass across membranes developments in methodology have enabled concentra- and appear to enter cells very slowly by endocytosis."3 tions of many antibiotics to be measured in small samples Interestingly, within phagocytes there may be preferential of tissue. The two main assay techniques are either a distribution of antibiotic. Quinolones appear to accumu- microbiological assay system where inhibition ofgrowth of late in the cystosol'4 whereas macrolides are distributed an indicator organism exposed to a sample of tissue is both in the cytosol and within lysosomes'5; aminoglyco- quantified, or high performance liquid chromatography. sides accumulate almost exclusively in the lysosomes. The sensitivity and reproducibility of these assay systems Similarly, alveolar macrophages obtained at lavage and are remarkably high. The bioassay technique has the then incubated with various antibiotics show poor uptake advantage of only measuring active amounts of the anti- of penicillins or cephalosporins, but up to fivefold concen- biotic, but has the disadvantage with some antibiotics such trations with rifampicin or tetracycline, and considerable as clarithromycin of not differentiating between parent concentrations of erythromycin, clindamycin, or etham- compound and active metabolites.' butol are achieved.'6 Peripheral blood polymorphonuclear As well as sputum, other sites in the lung that have been leucocytes also concentrate certain antibiotics to a similar investigated for concentrations of antibiotic include the extent.'7 The pulmonary endothelium is non-fenestrated'8 bronchial mucosa, alveolar macrophages, and epithelial unlike, for example, the bronchial capillary endothelium,'9 lining fluid.2 Mucosal concentrations have been measured and therefore provides more of a barrier to the passage of by taking several biopsies during bronchoscopy; the some antibiotics into the epithelial lining fluid. samples are then ultrasonicated and assayed. Using the technique of bronchoalveolar lavage macrophages and epithelial lining fluid may be obtained. The epithelial Concentrations found in lung sites lining fluid often requires freeze drying to concentrate the Concentrations of antibiotics in the sputum have been samples about 10 times before assay. Rapid separation of studied extensively, but few antibiotics penetrate well into cells and epithelial lining fluid is achieved by immediate the secretions. The concentrations of 3-lactam antibiotics centrifugation of the lavage aspirate to prevent efflux of are usually around 5-20% of those in the serum.20 Macro- some antibiotics such as quinolones or macrolides from lides such as erythromycin also achieve relatively low macrophages. These techniques are extensively reviewed sputum concentrations after oral dosing.2' Gentamicin http://thorax.bmj.com/ elsewhere.' Quantification of concentrations in the epithe- concentrations in sputum are about 25% of those of lial lining fluid remains problematical because of move- serum.22 Trimethoprim appears to penetrate into sputum ment of solute and solvent across the alveolar-capillary relatively well, with concentrations sometimes exceeding barrier during the lavage procedure.4 serum levels.2' Quinolones also penetrate into sputum relatively well.24 Unfortunately the measurement of spu- tum concentrations of antibiotics is subject to many vari- Mechanisms of penetration of antibiotics into the ables such as dilution with saliva (which often has a lower lung concentration of antibiotic than sputum20), instability on September 25, 2021 by guest. Protected copyright. Physiochemical properties of antimicrobial agents are im- related to changes of temperature, pH, or protein con- portant in determining their concentrations in various tent,25 and pooling of secretions over many hours making it lung tissues. High protein binding may make passage of difficult to relate peak sputum to peak serum concentra- the antimicrobial from the blood into tissue more diffi- tions. cult.5 Lipophilicity, however, usually enhances penetra- Table 2 shows examples of tissue concentrations of tion compared with relatively lipid insoluble antimicro- antibiotics within the lung. Concentrations of ,B-lactams bials such as some penicillins and cephalosporins.5 The such as amoxycillin or cephalosporins26 in bronchial concentrations of antibiotics in lung tissues result from a mucosa are around 40% of simultaneous serum concentra- dynamic process of penetration and clearance. If a single tions, regardless of dose. This is consistent with the theory dose of antibiotic is given, the peak tissue level will lag that P-lactams remain mainly extracellular. However, behind the peak serum level. However, after several doses other antibiotics accumulate within cells including those of an antibiotic with a long half life have been adminis- in the bronchial mucosa - for example, quinolones and tered, steady state kinetics will be achieved both in the macrolides. Levels of such antibiotics in mucosal tissue serum and in the tissues.6 Impaired renal or hepatic function may also cause elevated concentrations of anti- 1 biotic in lung tissues. Mechanisms of antibiotic penetra- Table Possible mechanisms of antibiotic penetration into the lung tion into lung tissue include passive diffusion, permea- Method Examples Comments tion,7 active transport,89 and bulk flow; it is likely that Passive Beta-lactams Low molecular weight molecules, cannot other mechanisms also exist'0 (table 1). Metabolism of diffusion be saturated hence close serum:tissue relation. Helped by large surface area in drugs may occur in the lung - for example, by Clara cells - pulmonary bed. Impaired if high protein and this could theoretically affect tissue concentrations." binding in blood Some antibiotics such as j-lactams remain mainly extra- Permeation Chloramphenicol, Rate limited by the degree of cellular and their concentration in the extracellular space macrolides, rifampicin liposolubility Active Quinolones, Energy dependent and hence can be equals that of serum.6 In a tissue sample such as a transport clindamycin saturated leading to discrepancy bronchial mucosal biopsy the overall concentration of such between serum and tissue levels an antibiotic will depend on the relative distribution of Bulk flow Unknown Ultrafiltration of drug through capillary water between the intracellular and extracellular compart- pores across a pressure gradient Antibiotic penetration into lung tissues 105 Table 2 Examples of mean (SD) tissue concentrations (mg/l or Several newer quinolones such as temafloxacin (now with- mg/kg) of antibiotics drawn) and sparfloxacin have a lower MIC90 against pneu- Drug Dose Serum Bronchial ELF Macro- mococcus (0 25 mg/l for sparfloxacin)37 with epithelial biopsy phage lining fluid concentrations that predict better efficacy,3' for Thorax: first published as 10.1136/thx.49.2.104 on 1 February 1994. Downloaded from Cefuroxime 500 mg 3 9 (1 9) 1 8 (0 7) 0 7 (0 6) Very low which there is some support from clinical trials.38 Experi- axetil26 single oral levels only dose in 9/14 ments with animal models of pneumococcal lung infec- (fasting) patients tions also show that tissue concentrations of quinolones39 Cipro- 250 mg 1 2 (0 6) 1-9 (1 0) 3 0 (2 8) 13 4 (12 7) such as and clarithromycin floxacin twice daily and macrolides40 azithromycin orally for 4 correlate with therapeutic success. Clarithromycin com- days Azithro- 500mg 0 1 (0 05) 3-9 (1 2) 2 2 (0 9) 23-4 (5-1) bines good serum concentrations with high tissue concen- mycin29 orally single trationS4142; efficacy has been shown in bronchitis43 and dose Clarithro- 250 mg 1.2 (0 04) Not 10 4 (0 7) 86-5 (3 6) pneumonia." Azithromycin has very low serum concen- mycin42 twice daily measured trations but very high tissue concentrations even 96 hours orally for 2 days after a single dose29; clinical studies have shown its effec- tiveness in exacerbations of chronic bronchitis and some ELF= epithelial lining fluid. pneumonias45 but the low serum concentrations may be a disadvantage with more severe pneumococcal infections. exceed serum levels; for example, quinolone levels in Intracellular concentrations of antibiotics are of particu- tissue are often 1 5-2 0 times higher than serum levels.2728 lar clinical interest when considering infections such as Concentrations of antibiotics in bronchial mucosal tissue Legionella pneumophila, Chlamydia pneumoniae, and atypi- compared with serum concentrations are much more vari- cal mycobacteria. Clinical studies of some quinolones4647 able between different types of macrolides - for example, or macrolides45 have shown their effectiveness in atypical azithromycin levels are extremely high in tissue in the pneumonias. With its high macrophage concentration presence of very low serum levels,29 but roxithromycin clarithromycin has been found to be effective in the levels are less SO.30 The pulmonary capillary endothelium treatment of Mycobacterium avium intracellulare in is a more difficult barrier for