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Consider a closed 4 compartment catenary model, with first order,
reversible rate constants (6 in total) between adjacent compartments. As
far as theoretical compartmental mathematics goes, is the mean transit
time through any particular compartment, equal to the reciprocal of the
sum of the 'outgoing' rate constants for that compartment?
I understand that if the system is closed, no mean residence time (for
the system) can be determined, as there is no elimination. If
elimination was to occur via a first order process in one of the
non-terminal compartments, would the MRT for the system then just equal
the reciprocal of the elimination rate constant in that 'eliminating
compartment'?
Thanks for the insight, if anyone knows of any useful texts for such
interpretation and utilisation of compartmental rate constants, it would
be appreciated.
Brendan Johnson
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The following message was posted to: PharmPK
..You may want to read Dr. Peter Veng-Pedersen and Dr. William J. Jusko's
articles. Dr. Veng-Pedersen published a 2 part review in, I think,
Therapeutic Drug Monitoring a few years ago.
A paper you may read is: Peter Veng-Pedersen, Stochastic Interpretation of
Linear Pharmacokinetics: A Linear System Analysis Approach. J Pharm Sci (80)
7, July 1991. 621-631. The references read like a "who's who" in
pharmacokinetics (one of our frequent commenters is second author on one of
the cited papers)
There is only one actual application of MRT in clinical medicine of which I
am aware. I am sure the readership can contribute more insight and
information on the concept.
WW
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