scholarly journals International Normalized Ratio (INR) Increases amongst Two Patients Living with HIV on Warfarin after Being Switched from a Nevirapine to a Dolutegravir-Based Antiretroviral Regimen

2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-5
Author(s):  
Natalie Sang ◽  
Sonak Pastakia ◽  
Samuel Nyanje

The increased use of dolutegravir-based regimens in the treatment of HIV is unmasking drug interactions, particularly in patients who were previously on nevirapine. Nevirapine is an enzyme inducer and increases the dosing requirements for cytochrome P450 enzyme substrates including warfarin. Upon discontinuing nevirapine, close monitoring of drugs with narrow therapeutic indices is paramount since dosing requirements may significantly reduce, increasing the probability of toxicity development. We present two cases describing interactions experienced by patients living with HIV, while transitioning from nevirapine to dolutegravir-based HIV regimens. The first case describes a 70-year-old man living with HIV and diabetes, while the second case describes a 60-year-old woman living with HIV. They were diagnosed with unprovoked deep vein thrombi, and while receiving treatment with warfarin, their HIV medication regimen was changed from lamivudine, zidovudine, nevirapine, and septrin to lamivudine, tenofovir, dolutegravir, and septrin. During the weeks following this switch, warfarin requirements decreased resulting in supratherapeutic INRs. With the continued promotion of dolutegravir-based HIV regimens as the preferred option for the treatment of HIV in President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) supported HIV treatment programs in Africa, clinicians must be aware of the potentially life-threatening consequences of switching antiretroviral regimens. It is hoped that a greater awareness of this potential side effect could lead to increased monitoring and prevention of the consequences of drug interactions.

2007 ◽  
Vol 20 (6) ◽  
pp. 469-473
Author(s):  
Roda Plakogiannis ◽  
Regina Ginzburg

This article reports two patients with delayed amiodarone— warfarin interaction resulting in a significant elevation in the international normalized ratio. One patient developed episodes of nosebleeds. Amiodarone is a potent inhibitor of the cytochrome P450 enzyme system. Warfarin undergoes metabolism via the same isoenzyme, potentially leading to prolongation of elevated international normalized ratio levels. A decrease in the warfarin dose is thus warranted when coadministered with amiodarone to circumvent the potential danger of this interaction, which can go unnoticed because several weeks of therapy may be necessary to discern an elevated international normalized ratio. The Naranjo probability scale indicated a possible relationship between the elevated international normalized ratio levels and the coadministration of amiodarone and warfarin. With the coadministration of warfarin and amiodarone, frequent and close monitoring of warfarin is paramount, especially in the initial weeks of therapy, in an effort to prevent supratherapeutic international normalized ratios and bleeding complications.


2020 ◽  
Vol 23 ◽  
pp. 200-205
Author(s):  
Shinya Takasaki ◽  
Hisanobu Adachi ◽  
Yoshihide Kawasaki ◽  
Masafumi Kikuchi ◽  
Akihiro Ito ◽  
...  

Pazopanib is an orally available multi-tyrosine kinase inhibitor and has been used to treat renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Here, we report the case of a patient with RCC with an increased prothrombin time-international normalized ratio (PT-INR) due to pazopanib therapy. In addition, we have reported the change in the blood levels of pazopanib. A 75-year-old man underwent a left nephrectomy for RCC. Four years later, his cancer recurred and pazopanib therapy was initiated. He was also taking warfarin for atrial fibrillation and his PT-INR was constant at approximately 2. His warfarin dose was reduced from 3.5 mg/day to 3.0 mg/day on day 10 because his PT-INR increased from 2.19 to 3.07 compared to that before starting pazopanib. On day 28, his PT-INR further increased to 4.34, and his aspartate aminotransferase, alanine transaminase, and alkaline phosphatase levels increased. The target concentration of pazopanib was 20.5 to 50.3 µg/mL, but his blood concentrations were 92.1 µg/mL on day 6 and 93.7 µg/mL on day 13. Therefore, both pazopanib and warfarin were discontinued. One week later, his laboratory tests recovered, and hence, warfarin treatment was resumed. However, pazopanib therapy was terminated due to concerns about liver dysfunction. His hepatic dysfunction and increased PT-INR were considered to be due to pazopanib treatment. Pazopanib has been reported to have no effect on the pharmacokinetics of warfarin in clinical patients. In this case, blood levels of pazopanib were abnormally high, possibly causing liver dysfunction and drug interactions, leading to his PT-INR prolongation. TDM monitoring, in addition to the recommended monitoring for pazopanib hepatotoxicity, may help identify patients at risk for drug interactions. For patients receiving concomitant pazopanib and warfarin, close monitoring of PT-INR is warranted.


Antibiotics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 38
Author(s):  
Marcin Wełnicki ◽  
Małgorzata Buksińska-Lisik ◽  
Artur Mamcarz

According to current European Society of Cardiology guidelines, for staphylococcal prosthetic valve endocarditis, rifampicin should be one of the drugs used. However, there is a concomitant need for vitamin K antagonists in patients with mechanical prostheses. It is widely known that rifampicin interacts with vitamin K antagonists (VKA), and this interaction makes it difficult to maintain the INR (international normalized ratio) value in the therapeutic range. We present two clinical cases of staphylococcal prosthetic valve endocarditis patients. Two different strategies for dealing with adverse drug interactions have been applied. In the first case, the dose of warfarin was up-titrated until the optimal INR value was obtained. In the second case, due to the history of labile INR values, a decision was made to modify the dosage of warfarin, taking into account pharmacological aspects of drug interactions.


Somatechnics ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 233-253
Author(s):  
Eli Manning

Since the pharmaceutical turn, using HIV treatment to prevent transmission is increasingly common. Treatment as Prevention®, or TasP, has relied on HIV treatment to prevent HIV transmission, targeting people living with HIV. However, TasP is predicated on troublesome heterosexist, classist, and racist medical practices borrowed from various times and spaces that enact biopolitical and necropolitical relations. This paper discusses the debate surrounding the first clinical trial that used HIV treatment to prevent transmission from woman-to-foetus. The 1994 landmark AIDS Clinical Trials Group 076 study laid the groundwork for using HIV treatment to prevent HIV transmission, the essential precursor to TasP. By examining the concerns of HIV positive women of colour and other AIDS activists, we are able to understand the ethical dilemmas and practical consequences that still haunt today's game-changing uses of HIV treatment for prevention and to see how biopolitics and necropolitics persist in TasP.


2020 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 105-107
Author(s):  
Sedighe Shahhosseini ◽  
Reza Aminnejad ◽  
Amir Shafa ◽  
Mehrdad Memarzade

Carvajal syndrome is a rare genetic disorder. Patients reporting for surgery pose some difficulties in anesthesia management. In this case report we present the case of a 12-year-old boy, who was a known case of Carvajal syndrome, referred for surgical resection of perianal condyloma. Close monitoring of hemodynamic status is the mainstay of anesthetic considerations in such patients. As in any other challenging scenario, it should be kept in mind that ‘there is no safest anesthetic agent, nor the safest anesthetic technique; there is only the safest anesthesiologist’. Citation: Shahhosseini S, Aminnejad R, Shafa A, Memarzadeh M. Anesthesia in Carvajal syndrome; the first case report. Anaesth pain intensive care 2020;24(1):___ DOI: https://doi.org/10.35975/apic.v24i1.


Author(s):  
Kimberly K. Scarsi ◽  
Susan Swindells

As with other chronic conditions, adherence to daily medications remains a challenge for many individuals living with HIV due to structural, behavioral, and social barriers. Unfortunately, high levels of adherence to antiretroviral therapy are required to maintain virologic suppression. Alternative approaches are being explored to decrease the burden of daily pill administration, including long-acting injectable, oral, and implantable products. Phase 3 data support the efficacy of nanoformulated injectable cabotegravir and rilpivirine for HIV treatment in patients with undetectable viremia, but we have yet to learn how this strategy may benefit those with medication adherence challenges. Despite this, the affected community and HIV providers are very interested in exploring the role of long-acting therapies to address some types of barriers to medication adherence. This review summarizes available information about the potential for long-acting therapy to improve adherence for some patients and outlines associated opportunities and challenges with the implementation of long-acting therapy for the treatment and prevention of HIV.


2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sara Chace Dwyer ◽  
Aparna Jain ◽  
Wilson Liambila ◽  
Charlotte E. Warren

Abstract Background Kenya has successfully expanded HIV treatment, but HIV-related stigma and discrimination, and unintended pregnancy remain issues for many Kenyan women living with HIV. While HIV-related stigma can influence the health seeking behaviors of those living with HIV, less is known about how reproductive health outcomes influence internalized stigma among women living with HIV. Methods Baseline data only were used in this analysis and came from an implementation science study conducted in Kenya from 2015 to 2017. The analytic sample was limited to 1116 women who are living with HIV, between 18 to 44 years old, and have ever experienced a pregnancy. The outcome variable was constructed from 7 internalized stigma statements and agreement with at least 3 statements was categorized as medium/high levels of internalized stigma. Unintended pregnancy, categorized as unintended if the last pregnancy was mistimed or unwanted, was the key independent variable. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression models were used to assess the association between unintended pregnancy and internalized stigma. Associations between internalized stigma and HIV-related discrimination and violence/abuse were also explored. Results About 48% agreed with at least one internalized stigma statement and 19% agreed with at least three. Over half of women reported that their last pregnancy was unintended (59%). Within the year preceding the survey, 52% reported experiencing discrimination and 41% reported experiencing violence or abuse due to their HIV status. Women whose last pregnancy was unintended were 1.6 times (95% CI 1.2–2.3) more likely to have medium/high levels of internalized stigma compared to those whose pregnancy was wanted at the time, adjusting for respondents’ characteristics, experiences of discrimination, and experiences of violence and abuse. Women who experienced HIV-related discrimination in the past 12 months were 1.8 times (95% CI 1.3–2.6) more likely to have medium/high levels of internalized stigma compared to those who experienced no discrimination. Conclusions Results suggest that unintended pregnancy is associated with internalized stigma. Integrated HIV and FP programs in Kenya should continue to address stigma and discrimination while increasing access to comprehensive voluntary family planning services for women living with HIV.


2014 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Mupfumi ◽  
B. Makamure ◽  
M. Chirehwa ◽  
T. Sagonda ◽  
S. Zinyowera ◽  
...  

Abstract Introduction.  GeneXpert® MTB/RIF (Xpert) is now widely distributed in high human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/tuberculosis (TB)-burden countries. Yet, whether the test improves patient-important outcomes within HIV treatment programs in limited resource settings is unknown. Methods.  To investigate whether use of Xpert for TB screening prior to initiation of antiretroviral treatment (ART) improves patient-important outcomes, in a pragmatic randomized controlled trial we assigned 424 patients to Xpert or fluorescence sputum smear microscopy (FM) at ART initiation. The primary endpoint was a composite of 3-month mortality and ART-associated TB. Results.  There was no difference in overall TB diagnosis at ART initiation (20% [n = 43] Xpert vs 21% [n = 45] FM; P = .80), with most patients in both groups treated empirically. There was no difference in time to TB treatment initiation {5 days (interquartile range [IQR], 3–13) vs 8 days [IQR, 3–23; P = .26]} or loss to follow-up (32 [15%] vs 38 [18%]; P = 0.38). Although a nonsignificant reduction in mortality occurred in the Xpert group (11 [6%] vs 17 [10%]; 95% CI, −9% to 2%; P = .19), there was no difference in the composite outcome (9% [n = 17] Xpert vs 12% [n = 21] FM; difference −3%; 95% CI, −9% to 4%). Conclusions.  Among HIV-infected initiating ART, centralized TB screening with Xpert did not reduce the rate of ART-associated TB and mortality, compared with fluorescence microscopy.


2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-3 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gül Pamukçu Günaydın ◽  
Hatice Duygu Çiftçi Sivri ◽  
Serkan Sivri ◽  
Yavuz Otal ◽  
Ayhan Özhasenekler ◽  
...  

Introduction. We present a case of concurrent spontaneous sublingual and intramural small bowel hematoma due to warfarin anticoagulation.Case. A 71-year-old man presented to the emergency department complaining of a swollen, painful tongue. He was on warfarin therapy. Physical examination revealed sublingual hematoma. His international normalized ratio was 11.9. The computed tomography scan of the neck demonstrated sublingual hematoma. He was admitted to emergency department observation unit, monitored closely; anticoagulation was reversed with fresh frozen plasma and vitamin K. 26 hours after his arrival to the emergency department, his abdominal pain and melena started. His abdomen tomography demonstrated intestinal submucosal hemorrhage in the ileum. He was admitted to surgical floor, monitored closely, and discharged on day 4.Conclusion. Since the patient did not have airway compromise holding anticoagulant, reversing anticoagulation, close monitoring and observation were enough for management of both sublingual and spontaneous intramural small bowel hematoma.


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