In phase 1, each patient received a 1 hour infusion of a single dose of 1 g of meropenem diluted in 100 ml of normal saline solution, at the same time as the start of the first therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE) and meropenem PK studies were carried out after the administration of meropenem. Blood samples (3 ml) were obtained by direct venipuncture at the following times: shortly before (time zero) and 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, 1, 1.5, 2, 3, 4, 6 and 8 hours after the start of the meropenem administration.

was similar to phase 1 except that the meropenem administration and PK studies were conducted >6 hours apart from the next TPE

each patient received a 1 hour infusion of a single dose of 1 g of meropenem diluted in 100 ml of normal saline solution, at the same time as the start of the first TPE and meropenem PK studies were carried out after the administration of meropenem. Blood samples (3 ml) were obtained by direct venipuncture at the following times: shortly before (time zero) and 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, 1, 1.5, 2, 3, 4, 6 and 8 hours after the start of the meropenem administration.