grey baby syndrome

A condition that may occur when chloramphenicol levels exceed 70 µg/mL; premature infants are most susceptible, given their limited capacity to glucuronidate and excrete chloramphenicol, the functional deficiency in glucuronyl transferase activity corrects itself within the first 3–4 wks of life; high levels of chloramphenicol inhibit mitochondrial electron transport, disrupting energy metabolism; in children < 1 month of age, doses should be 25 mg/kg
Lab Clourimetry, GLC, HPLC, microbiologic, radioenzymatic methods

Segen's Medical Dictionary. © 2012 Farlex, Inc. All rights reserved.

grey baby syndrome

A dangerous condition of acute failure of the blood circulation caused by the antibiotic CHLORAMPHENICOL. In premature and young babies the liver cannot adequately render the drug safe by linking with other substances (conjugation) and high levels occur in the blood. For this reason chloramphenicol is never given to premature babies.

Collins Dictionary of Medicine © Robert M. Youngson 2004, 2005