Bone penetration of enoxacin in patients with and without osteomyelitis

Abstract

Enoxacin concentrations in bone were measured in 24 patients without infection and in 7 with osteomyelitis after one or two doses of 400 mg of enoxacin administered orally or intravenously. Enoxacin concentrations were measured in serum and bone (cortical and cancellous) by high-pressure liquid chromatography. The mean concentration in serum was 2.4 ± 1.0 μg/ml (range, 1.3 to 5.2 μg/ml) and was highest after two intravenous doses (3.1 ± 0.9 μg/ml). The mean concentration in cortical bone was 1.0 ± 0.9 μg/g (range, 0.4 to 4.8 μg/g) and was highest in patients with osteomyelitis (1.3 ± 1.6 μg/g), but this was not statistically significant. The concentration of enoxacin in cancellous bone was significantly higher than that in cortical bone, with a penetration of 82 versus 40%. Oral enoxacin in practical doses can provide significant levels in bone, and further studies are warranted to determine its therapeutic efficacy in osteomyelitis.