Determination of Rifampin Concentrations by Urine Colorimetry and Mobile Phone Readout for Personalized Dosing in Tuberculosis Treatment

Background Individual pharmacokinetic variability is a driver of poor tuberculosis (TB) treatment outcomes. We developed a method for measurement of rifampin concentrations by urine colorimetry and a mobile phone photographic application to predict clinically important serum rifampin pharmacokinetic measurements in children treated for TB. Methods Among spiked urine samples, colorimetric assay performance was tested with conventional spectrophotometric and the mobile phone/light box methods under various environmental and biologic conditions. Urine rifampin absorbance (Abs) was then determined from timed specimens from children treated for TB in Tanzania, and compared to serum pharmacokinetic measurements collected throughout the dosing interval. Results Both the mobile phone/light box and spectrophotometry demonstrated excellent correlation across a wide range of urine rifampin concentrations (7.8–1000 mg/L) in intra- and interday trials, 24-hour exposure to ambient light or darkness, and varying urinalysis profiles (all r ≥ 0.98). In 12 Tanzanian children, the urine mobile phone/light box measurement and serum peak concentration (Cmax) were significantly correlated (P = .004). Using a Cmax target of 8 mg/L, the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 80.1% (range, 47.2%–100%). A urine mobile phone/light box threshold of 50 Abs correctly classified all patients (n = 6) with serum measurements below target. Conclusions The urine colorimetry with mobile phone/light box assay accurately measured rifampin absorbance in varying environmental and biological conditions that may be observed clinically. Among children treated for TB, the assay was sensitive for detection of low rifampin serum concentrations. Future work will identify the optimal timing for urine collection, and operationalize use in TB-endemic settings.

Long-Acting Growth Hormone Preparations – Current Status and Future Considerations

Context Long-acting GH (LAGH) preparations are currently being developed in an attempt to improve adherence. The profile of GH action following administration of LAGH raises practical questions about clinical monitoring and long-term safety and efficacy of these new therapeutic agents. Methods Recent literature and meeting proceedings regarding LAGH preparations are reviewed. Results Multiple LAGH preparations are currently at various stages of development, allowing for decreased GH injection frequency from daily to weekly, biweekly, or monthly. Following administration of LAGH, the serum peak and trough GH and IGF-I levels vary depending upon the mechanism used to prolong GH action. Randomized, controlled clinical trials of some LAGH preparations have reported non-inferiority compared with daily recombinant human GH (rhGH) for improved growth velocity and body composition in children and adults with GH deficiency (GHD), respectively. No significant LAGH-related adverse events have been reported during short-term therapy. Conclusion Multiple LAGH preparations are proceeding through clinical development with some showing promising evidence of short-term clinical efficacy and safety in children and adults with GHD. The relationship of transient elevations of GH and IGF-I following administration of LAGH to efficacy and safety remain to be elucidated. For LAGH to replace daily rhGH in the treatment of individuals with GHD, a number of practical questions need to be addressed including methods of dose adjustment, timing of monitoring of IGF-I, safety, efficacy, and cost-effectiveness. Long-term surveillance of efficacy and safety of LAGH preparations will be needed to answer these clinically relevant questions.

Two Sudden and Unexpected Deaths of Patients with Schizophrenia Associated with Intramuscular Injections of Antipsychotics and Practice Guidelines to Limit the Use of High Doses of Intramuscular Antipsychotics

Intravenous haloperidol has been associated with torsades de pointes (TdP). These two sudden deaths were probable adverse drug reactions (ADRs) following intramuscular (IM) antipsychotics. The autopsies described lack of heart pathology and were highly compatible with the possibility of TdP in the absence of risk factors other than the accumulation of antipsychotics with a high serum peak after the last injection, leading to death within hours. The first case was a 27-year-old African-American male with schizophrenia but no medical issues. His death was probably caused by repeated IM haloperidol injections of 10 mg (totaling 35 mg in 2 days). The second case involves a 42-year-old African-American female with metabolic syndrome. Her probable cause of death was the last ziprasidone IM injection of 20 mg in addition to (1) three extra haloperidol doses (2 hours before the ziprasidone injection, 5 mg oral haloperidol; approximately 21 hours earlier, 5 mg oral haloperidol; and 2 days prior, one 10 mg IM haloperidol injection), (2) 10 mg/day of scheduled oral haloperidol for 6 days before death, and (3) a long-acting paliperidone injection of 156 mg 18 days before death. The study of haloperidol glucuronidation and its impairment in some African-Americans is urgently recommended.

Transfer of Meropenem in the ex Vivo Human Placenta perfusion Model

Objectives.To determine maternal-fetal transplacental passage of meropenem in the ex vivo human perfusion model.Study design.Term placentae (n= 6) were collected immediately after delivery. A single cotyledon was localized, perfused and stabilized with physiologic Eagles minimal essential medium containing 3% bovine albumin and heparin as described by Chalier (Chalier JC. Criteria for evaluating perfusion experiments and presentation results. Contrib Gynecol Obstet 1985; 13:32–39). Meropenem was added to the maternal medium in concentrations similar to maternal serum peak and trough levels, then perfused through the maternal circulation of the cotyledon. To assess transfer and accumulation, fluid aliquots from both the maternal and fetal compartments were collected over an hour at defined intervals in an open and closed system. AntipyrineC14was added to the medium in order to calculate the transport fraction and clearance indexes. Meropenem and antipyrineC14concentrations were determined by High-pressure Liquid Chromatography and liquid scintillation, respectively.Results.Mean antipyrine transport fraction was 2.33 + 0.25. Maternal and fetal mean meropenem peak concentrations were 54.3 + 3.3μg/ml and 2.2 + 0.18μg/ml, respectively. Whereas, maternal and fetal mean trough concentrations were 12.7 + 1.3μg/ml and 0.41 + 0.10μg/ml, respectively. Mean peak clearance index was 0.077 + 0.007 and the mean trough was 0.052 + 0.015. Mean accumulation for the peak and trough concentrations of meropenem were 0.9 and 2.95μg/ml, respectively.Conclusions.Transplacental passage of meropenem was incomplete in the ex vivo human placental perfusion model. Accumulation was also noted in the fetal compartment

Effects of Amoxicillin Subinhibitory Concentrations on the Cross-Protection Developed by Pneumococcal Antibodies in Mouse Sepsis Caused by an Amoxicillin-Resistant Serotype 6B Streptococcus pneumoniae Strain

ABSTRACT A model of mouse sepsis caused by a serotype 6B Streptococcus pneumoniae strain (amoxicillin MIC of 8 μg/ml) was developed to investigate the therapeutic effect of an amoxicillin dose (3.12 mg/kg of body weight three times daily for 48 h) producing, over the whole treatment period, subinhibitory concentrations in serum (peak concentration [C max]: 6.1 μg/ml) in animals that prior to infection had been passively immunized with a 6B or 23F hyperimmune serum (obtained by immunization with a whole-cell heat-inactivated inoculum and diluted to produce no protective effect by itself). Mortality in nonimmunized animals treated with antibiotic (3.12 mg/kg) was 90%, and mortality in animals immunized but not treated with the antibiotic was 100%. Antibiotic treatment in immunized animals produced mortality rates ≤20% when the hyperimmune serum was used, thus showing cross-protection and synergism (defined as the situation in which there is no response to the single agents [no differences versus placebo] while the combination exhibits significant activity) with subinhibitory concentrations of the antibiotic. The presence of antipneumococcal antibodies allowed antibiotic efficacy with negligible values of pharmacodynamic parameters (C max/MIC ratio of <1 and thus a null value for the time that serum levels exceed the MIC). This in vivo synergism offers a potential therapeutic strategy against resistant strains.