Pediatric Drug Metabolism

In a 2014 article published in Arch Dis Child [2014;99(12):1137-1142], the potential differences in drug metabolism between children and adults is discussed. 

When considering pediatric dosing for medications, following recommendations that are based on adult data should be approached with extreme caution. The efficacy and safety of certain drugs administered to children is dependent on intraindividual and interindividual variation in drug-metabolising enzyme (DME) activity. The most dramatic differences are seen in preterm babies and newborns and infants, particularly those who experienced preterm births.

These variables and other factors may result in unexpected variations in drug metabolism in children of different ages. Prescribing practitioners would be well-advised to conduct an exhaustive review of all available literature on the impact of age on individual DME prior to administration.