Developmental pharmacology

Growth and maturation characterize the transition of neonates to adults. The physiological changes that children undergo present numerous pharmacological conundrums for the anaesthetist. Extensive changes in drug absorption, protein binding, metabolism and excretion during development result in wide variability in drug disposition. Pharmacodynamic differences and genetic polymorphisms further exacerbate these pharmacokinetic disparities. These changes directly affect drug efficacy and toxicity, and an awareness of this is crucial for clinicians involved in paediatric anaesthesia. Population-based pharmacokinetic–pharmacodynamic modelling provides a novel prospect in paediatric pharmacology research. Modelling has the potential to improve safety in clinical trials and enhance our understanding of drug disposition in vulnerable populations like preterm neonates. Although progress is occurring in developmental pharmacology, gaps remain, and a lot yet remains to be elucidated.