Chemotherapy flow rate accuracy

Abstract:

Background: Elastomeric pumps have a curved infusion rate profile over infusion time. Chemically driven pumps can overcome such limitations of elastomeric pumps and infuse constantly. However, studies on the pharmacokinetic benefit of chemically-driven pumps are insufficient.

Objective: This study aimed to determine effects of constant infusion with a chemically-driven pump on plasma drug concentrations compared to elastomeric pumps.

Methods: Infusion rate profiles of a chemically driven pump and two elastomeric pumps were measured in vitro tests under three height conditions of drug reservoir. Plasma drug concentrations were estimated using a pharmacokinetic model of 5-fluorouracil (5FU).

Results: The chemically-driven pump was more accurate than elastomeric pumps during the total infusion time (Root-mean-square-error (RMSE): 3% vs. 13%) which thus reduced its deviation of plasma 5FU concentration over time to one-fifth of that with an elastomeric pump. The chemically-driven pump had less than 5% of RMSE despite the influence of height difference.

Conclusion: Although chemically-driven pumps maintained plasma 5FU concentration successfully and elastomeric pumps did not, both pumps were proper for 5FU infusion because the time-dependent changes in infusion rate did not affect the area under the curve. Chemically driven pumps would be more advantageous for drugs that are sensitive to their plasma concentrations.

Lee KJ, Lee JC. Effects of flow rate accuracy in two-day anticancer drug infusion with disposable pumps on plasma drug concentrations. Technol Health Care. 2023 Sep 28. doi: 10.3233/THC-230227. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37781825.