Genetic and clinical predictors of rifapentine and isoniazid pharmacokinetics in paediatrics with tuberculosis infection.

OBJECTIVES: Twelve weekly doses of rifapentine and isoniazid (3HP regimen) are recommended for TB preventive therapy in children with TB infection. However, they present with variability in the pharmacokinetic profiles. The current study aimed to develop a pharmacokinetic model of rifapentine and isoniazid in 12 children with TB infection using NONMEM. METHODS: Ninety plasma and 41 urine samples were collected at Week 4 of treatment. Drug concentrations were measured using a validated HPLC-UV method. MassARRAY® SNP genotyping was used to investigate genetic factors, including P-glycoprotein (ABCB1), solute carrier organic anion transporter B1 (SLCO1B1), arylacetamide deacetylase (AADAC) and N-acetyl transferase (NAT2). Clinically relevant covariates were also analysed. RESULTS: A two-compartment model for isoniazid and a one-compartment model for rifapentine with transit compartment absorption and first-order elimination were the best models for describing plasma and urine data. The estimated (relative standard error, RSE) of isoniazid non-renal clearance was 3.52 L·h-1 (23.1%), 2.91 L·h-1 (19.6%), and 2.58 L·h-1 (20.0%) in NAT2 rapid, intermediate and slow acetylators. A significant proportion of the unchanged isoniazid was cleared renally (2.7 L·h-1; 8.0%), while the unchanged rifapentine was cleared primarily through non-renal routes (0.681 L·h-1; 3.6%). Participants with the ABCB1 mutant allele had lower bioavailability of rifapentine, while food prolonged the mean transit time of isoniazid. CONCLUSIONS: ABCB1 mutant allele carriers may require higher rifapentine doses; however, this must be confirmed in larger trials. Food did not affect overall exposure to isoniazid and only delayed absorption time.

Genetic polymorphisms and clinical parameters associated with renal toxicity in Thai hematologic malignancy patients receiving high dose methotrexate.

High-dose methotrexate (HD-MTX) is a widely used chemotherapy regimen for hematologic malignancies such as lymphomas and acute lymphoblastic leukemia, but its use can lead to adverse effects, including acute kidney injury (AKI), impaired liver function, and mucositis, causing extended hospital stays and delayed subsequent chemotherapy. Our study aimed to investigate the predictive factors for renal toxicities associated with HD-MTX in Thai patients undergoing treatment for hematologic malignancies. We enrolled 80 patients who underwent MTX-containing regimens, analyzing 132 chemotherapy cycles. The most common disease was primary central nervous system lymphoma (33%). Genetic polymorphisms were examined using the MassARRAY® system, identifying 42 polymorphisms in 25 genes. Serum creatinine and MTX levels were measured 24 and 48 h after MTX administration. For the primary outcome, we found that the allele A of MTRR rs1801394 was significantly related to renal toxicity (odds ratio 2.084 (1.001-4.301), p-value 0.047). Patients who exceeded the MTX threshold levels at 24 h after the dose had a significantly higher risk of renal toxicity (OR (95%CI) = 6.818 (2.350-19.782), p < 0.001). Multivariate logistic regression analysis with a generalized estimated equation revealed hypertension and age as independent predictors of increased MTX levels at 24 h after the given dose.

Efficacy and mechanisms of cannabis oil for alleviating side effects of breast cancer chemotherapy (CBC2): protocol for randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: In a pilot study using both cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) as single agents in advanced cancer patients undergoing palliative care in Thailand, the doses were generally well tolerated, and the outcome measure of total symptom distress scores showed overall symptom benefit. The current study aims to determine the intensity of the symptoms experienced by breast cancer patients, to explore the microbiome profile, cytokines, and bacterial metabolites before and after the treatment with cannabis oil or no cannabis oil, and to study the pharmacokinetics parameters and pharmacogenetics profile of the doses. METHODS: A randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial will be conducted on the breast cancer cases who were diagnosed with breast cancer and currently receiving chemotherapy at King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital (KCMH), Bangkok, Thailand. Block randomization will be used to allocate the patients into three groups: Ganja Oil (THC 2 mg/ml; THC 0.08 mg/drop, and CBD 0.02 mg/drop), Metta Osot (THC 81 mg/ml; THC 3 mg/drop), and placebo oil. The Edmonton Symptom Assessment System (ESAS), Food Frequency Questionnaires (FFQ), microbiome profile, cytokines, and bacterial metabolites will be assessed before and after the interventions, along with pharmacokinetic and pharmacogenetic profile of the treatment during the intervention. TRIAL REGISTRATION: TCTR20220809001.

An increase in urinary primaquine and a reduction in urinary primaquine-5,6-orthoquinone in the Thai population with CYP2D6 reduced enzyme function.

Objectives: Primaquine is metabolized by the cytochrome P450-2D6 enzyme (CYP2D6) to an active primaquine-5,6-orthoquinone (POQ). No relationships of CYP2D6 polymorphisms with the pharmacokinetics of primaquine and POQ were reported in the Thai population. Methods: We evaluated the genetic distribution of CYP2D6 in 345 Thai army populations together with the pharmacokinetic profiles of primaquine and POQ in plasma and urine (n = 44, descriptive data are presented in median (range)). All dose-related pharmacokinetic parameters were normalized by primaquine dose per body weight before statistical analysis. Results: CYP2D6*10 was the allele observed with the highest frequency (56.62%) corresponding to CYP2D6*10/*10 (32.94%) and CYP2D6*1/*10 (27.94%) genotypes. CYP2D6 intermediate metabolizers (CYP2D6 IM) were found in 44.41% of the cohort and had an increase in the cumulative amount of primaquine excreted (CAE) in urine compared to normal metabolizers of CYP2D6 (CYP2D6 NM); (CYP2D6 IM vs. CYP2D6 NM: 2444 (1697-3564) vs. 1757 (1092-2185) µg/mg/kg, p = 0.039), a reduction in urine CAE of POQ (CYP2D6 IM vs CYP2D6 NM: 115 (46-297) vs. 318 (92-498) µg/mg/kg, p = 0.047) and a reduction in the POQ/primaquine CAE ratio in urine (CYP2D6 IM vs. CYP2D6 NM: 0.06 (0.01-0.11) vs. 0.16 (0.06-0.26), p = 0.009). No significant differences were found in the pharmacokinetic profiles of plasma primaquine and POQ. Conclusions: The CYP2D6 polymorphisms influenced the changes in primaquine and POQ that were noticeable in the urine, supporting the role of the CYP2D6 gene testing before drug administration.

Therapeutic drug monitoring of mycophenolic acid and clinical outcomes of lupus nephritis: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Mycophenolic acid (MPA) is a primary immunosuppressive agent used in the treatment of lupus nephritis (LN). While therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) of MPA is well established in organ transplantation, its role in LN treatment remains uncertain. Our objective was to review and summarise current knowledge on TDM of MPA in the LN treatment. METHODS: A systematic search was conducted in the online databases, specifically targeted patients diagnosed with LN receiving MPA treatment. The included studies had to report both MPA pharmacokinetic parameters and renal outcomes. A random-effects model meta-analysis was conducted to assess the relationship between clinical responses and MPA pharmacokinetics. RESULTS: A total of 1507 studies were initially screened, resulting in the inclusion of 16 studies for meta-analysis, encompassing 433 patients. The response group exhibited significantly higher MPA area under the concentration-time curve (AUC) compared with the non-response group (51.44±21.73 mg·h/L vs 30.30±16.24 mg·h/L). The weighted mean difference (WMD) of MPA-AUC between responders and non-responders was 16.83 mg·h/L (95% CI 10.59 to 23.06; p<0.001). Similarly, trough concentration (C0) of MPA showed a strong association with renal response, evidenced by C0 values of 2.50±1.73 mg/L in the response group vs 1.51±1.33 mg/L in the non-response group (WMD 1.37 mg/L; 95% CI 0.77 to 1.97; p<0.001). There was no significant relationship identified between MPA-AUC and adverse events. CONCLUSION: This meta-analysis emphasised the meaningful correlation between MPA AUC and C0 with renal response in LN treatment. Randomised controlled trials are necessary to validate this approach and determine its superiority over fixed dosing in the context of LN treatment.

HLA-B*46:01:01:01 and HLA-DRB1*09:01:02:01 are associated with anti-rHuEPO-induced pure red cell aplasia.

Treatment of anemia in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) with recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEPO) can be disrupted by a severe complication, anti-rHuEPO-induced pure red cell aplasia (PRCA). Specific HLA genotypes may have played a role in the high incidence of PRCA in Thai patients (1.7/1,000 patient years vs. 0.03/10,000 patient years in Caucasians). We conducted a case-control study in 157 CKD patients with anti-rHuEPO-induced PRCA and 56 controls. The HLA typing was determined by sequencing using a highly accurate multiplex single-molecule, real-time, long-read sequencing platform. Four analytical models were deployed: Model 1 (additive: accounts for the number of alleles), Model 2 (dominant: accounts for only the presence or absence of alleles), Model 3 (adjusted additive with rHuEPO types) and Model 4 (adjusted dominant with rHuEPO types). HLA-B*46:01:01:01 and DRB1*09:01:02:01 were found to be independent risk markers for anti-rHuEPO-induced PRCA in all models [OR (95%CI), p-values for B*46:01:01:01: 4.58 (1.55-13.51), 0.006; 4.63 (1.56-13.75), 0.006; 5.72 (1.67-19.67), 0.006; and 5.81 (1.68-20.09), 0.005; for DRB1*09:01:02:01: 3.99 (1.28-12.49), 0.017, 4.50 (1.32-15.40), 0.016, 3.42 (1.09-10.74), 0.035, and 3.75 (1.08-13.07), 0.038, in Models 1-4, respectively. HLA-B*46:01:01:01 and DRB1*09:01:02:01 are susceptible alleles for anti-rHuEPO-induced PRCA. These findings support the role of HLA genotyping in helping to monitor patients receiving rHuEPO treatment.

The In Vitro Efficacy of Activated Charcoal in Fecal Ceftriaxone Adsorption among Patients Who Received Intravenous Ceftriaxone.

Broad-spectrum antibiotics can kill both pathogens and gut microbiota. Reducing exposure to excess intestinal antibiotics could theoretically protect gut microbiota homeostasis. Recently, engineered charcoals, gel microparticles, and resin beads have demonstrated efficacy in intestinal antibiotic adsorption in animal studies. We report the first in vitro study evaluating human fecal antibiotic adsorption efficacy of conventional activated charcoal (AC). We collected fecal samples from eight patients who received intravenous (IV) ceftriaxone after admission to King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, Thailand, during January−March 2020. Fecal ceftriaxone was measured by indirect competitive enzyme-linked immunoassays. Three different doses of AC were mixed with fecal samples under a specified protocol. The geometric mean reduction in fecal ceftriaxone concentration when mixed with AC 30 mg/g feces was 0.53 (95% CI 0.33−0.85, p-value < 0.001), meaning 47% adsorption efficacy. Increased adsorption was found with higher doses, 71% and 87% for AC 150 and 500 mg/g feces, respectively. In conclusion, the usual food-poisoning-care dose of conventional AC, 30 mg/g feces, demonstrated dose-dependent and significant fecal ceftriaxone adsorption. Conventional oral AC might be a pragmatic and inexpensive option for the protection of gut microbiota in patients receiving IV ceftriaxone. However, in vivo studies and microbiome analysis are needed for further evidence.

Pharmacokinetics of isoniazid and rifapentine in young pediatric patients with latent tuberculosis infection.

OBJECTIVES: This study investigated the steady-state pharmacokinetic profiles of 3-month weekly rifapentine plus isoniazid (3HP) in children with latent tuberculosisinfection (LTBI). We also assessed other factors, including tablet integrity, food, and pharmacogenetics. METHODS: During the 3HP treatment, blood and urine samples were collected in week 4. Isoniazid and rifapentine levels were measured using a high-performance liquid chromatography technique. The genetic variation of arylamine N-acetyltransferase 2 (NAT2) and arylacetamide deacetylase (AADAC) were assessed by the MassARRAY®. Safety and clinical outcomes at week 48 were monitored. RESULTS: A total of 12 children with LTBI (age 3.8 [range 2.1-4.9 years old]) completed the treatment (isoniazid and rifapentine dose 25.0 [range 21.7-26.8] and 25.7 [range 20.7-32.1] mg/kg, respectively). No serious adverse events or active TB occurred. Tablet integrity was associated with decreased area under the concentration-time curve (91 vs 73 mg.h/l, P= 0.026) and increased apparent oral clearance of isoniazid (0.27 vs 0.32 l/h/kg, P= 0.019) and decreased rifapentine's renal clearance (CLR, 0.005 vs 0.003 l/h, P= 0.014). Food was associated with increased CLR of isoniazid (3.45 vs 8.95 l/h, P= 0.006) but not rifapentine. Variability in NAT2 and AADAC did not affect the pharmacokinetics of both drugs. CONCLUSION: There is high variability in the pharmacokinetic profiles of isoniazid and rifapentine in young children with LTBI. The variability was partly influenced by tablet integrity and food, but not pharmacogenetics. Further study in a larger cohort is warranted to display the relationship of these factors to treatment outcomes.

Pharmacokinetics and Safety of WHO-Recommended Dosage and Higher Dosage of Levofloxacin for Tuberculosis Treatment in Children: a Pilot Study.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the pharmacokinetic parameters of the 2020 World Health Organization (WHO)-recommended pediatric dosage of levofloxacin and the higher-than-WHO dosage. METHODS: Children aged 1-15 years with tuberculosis who received levofloxacin-based treatment for at least 7 days were enrolled. First, five children were enrolled to receive the WHO-recommended dosage (15-20 mg/kg/day), then an additional five children received a dosage higher than the WHO-recommended dosage (20-30 mg/kg/day). Blood samples were collected at predose and postdose 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, and 12 hours. A target of the ratio of the free area under the concentration-time curve to minimum inhibitory concentration (fAUC/MIC) was 100. RESULTS: The median (interquartile range) age was 9.6 (4.9-10.5) and 12.0 (10.1-12.3) years in the WHO dosage and higher-than-WHO dosage groups, respectively. The median (interquartile range) duration of antituberculosis treatment was 24 (8-24) weeks. The geometric mean (95% confidence interval) of fAUC/MIC was 60.4 (43.5-84.0) and 103.2 (70.1-151.8) in the WHO and higher-than-WHO dosage groups, respectively. There was no adverse event of QT prolongation or any other grade 3 or 4 adverse events. CONCLUSION: Levofloxacin at a higher dose of 20-30 mg/kg/day could achieve the fAUC/MIC target in children.

Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics profiles of enteric-coated mycophenolate sodium in female patients with difficult-to-treat lupus nephritis.

Relapsed or resistant lupus nephritis (LN) is considered a difficult-to-treat type of LN, and enteric-coated mycophenolate sodium (EC-MPS) has been used in this condition. Therapeutic drug monitoring using the area under the plasma mycophenolic acid concentration from 0 to 12 h postdose (MPA-AUC0-12h ) ≥45 µg.h/ml is a useful approach to achieve the highest efficiency. This study assessed EC-MPS's pharmacokinetic (PK) and pharmacodynamic (PD) profiles and investigated an optimal level of the single time point of plasma MPA concentration. Nineteen biopsy-proven patients with class III/IV LN received 1440 mg/day of EC-MPS for 24 weeks. PK (maximum plasma MPA concentration [Cmax ], time to Cmax , and MPA-AUC0-12h ) and PD (activity of inosine-5'-monophosphate dehydrogenase [IMPDH]) parameters were measured at weeks 2, 8, 16, and 24. We found that IMPDH activity decreased from baseline by 31-42% within 2-4 h after dosing, coinciding with the increased plasma MPA concentration. MPA-AUC0-12h ≥45 µg.h/ml was best predicted by a single time point MPA concentration at C0.5, C2, C3, C4, and C8 (r2  = 0.516, 0.514, 0.540, 0.611, and 0.719, respectively), independent of dose, albumin, urine protein/creatinine ratio, and urinalysis. The MPA-C0.5 cutoff of 2.03 g/ml yielded the highest overall sensitivity of 85% and specificity of 88.2% in predicting MPA-AUC0-12h ≥45 µg.h/ml. A single timepoint of plasma MPA-C0.5 ≥2.03 µg/ml may help guide EC-MPS adjustment to achieve adequate drug exposure. Further study of EC-MPS used to validate this cutoff is warranted.

A simple LC-MS/MS method for pharmacokinetic study of carvedilol and 4/-hydroxyphenyl carvedilol at a low dose.

Background and purpose: The study was aimed at validating a simple, rapid, and low-cost LC-MS/MS method for carvedilol and 4/-hydroxyphenyl carvedilol assay in human plasma. The validated method was applied to investigate the pharmacokinetics after a low dose of 6.25 mg. carvedilol. Experimental approach: In this study, the plasma was extracted by liquid-liquid extraction and evaporated the organic layer to dryness, then both analytes in the residue were reconstituted and detected by LC- MS/MS. The method was validated following the guideline on bioanalytical method validation. Thirty-one healthy volunteers participated in the pharmacokinetic study. After 10 h of fasting, each volunteer received one tablet of 6.25 mg carvedilol orally. Blood samples were collected at 16 prescheduled time points. The plasma samples were analyzed for pharmacokinetics. Findings/Results: The method was linear over a range of 0.050-50.049 ng/mL for carvedilol and 0.050- 10.017 ng/mL for 4/-hydroxyphenyl carvedilol. Crucial validated results reached the requirements of selectivity, accuracy, precision, and stability. Pharmacokinetics of carvedilol and 4/-hydroxyphenyl carvedilol were evaluated which showed Cmax at 21.26 ± 9.23 and 2.42 ± 2.07 ng/mL; AUC0-t 66.95 ± 29.45 and 5.93 ± 3.51 ng.h/mL; AUC0-inf 68.54 ± 30.11 and 6.78 ± 3.49 ng.h/mL; and T1/2 6.30 ± 1.95 and 6.31 ± 6.45 h, respectively. Conclusion and implications: The validated method was able to detect and quantify both analytes in plasma samples and can be applied to the pharmacokinetic study of carvedilol and 4/-hydroxyphenyl carvedilol after receiving carvedilol at 6.25 mg orally.

Association Between Indoxyl Sulfate and Dialysis Initiation and Cardiac Outcomes in Chronic Kidney Disease Patients.

Introduction: Indoxyl sulfate, a protein-bound uremic toxin, has been reported as an atherosclerosis and fibrosis accelerator. This study aimed to determine whether serum indoxyl sulfate is associated with cardiac abnormalities, cardiovascular events, and renal progression to dialysis in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Methods: The prospective study enrolled 89 patients with CKD stage 3 to 5 patients. Serum biochemistry data and indoxyl sulfate were measured. All patients underwent echocardiographic examination. Global longitudinal strain (GLS) was calculated using two-dimensional speckle tracking. The clinical outcomes including cardiovascular event and dialysis initiation were recorded during a 2-year follow-up. Results: Patients were divided into 2 groups based on the median value of serum indoxyl sulfate (low and high indoxyl sulfate groups). Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed that patients with higher indoxyl sulfate (≥6.124 mg/L) were significantly associated with renal progression to dialysis (p < 0.001). There was no significant difference in cardiovascular events between 2 groups (p = 0.082). In addition, serum indoxyl sulfate level was independently associated with GLS (r = 0.62; p = 0.01). The risk of cardiovascular events was significantly higher in patients with impaired GLS (>-16%) (p = 0.015). Conclusion: Serum indoxyl sulfate level was a significant predictor for CKD progression to dialysis and was correlated with GLS, a speckle tracking echocardiography parameter representing early LV systolic dysfunction. Furthermore, GLS was associated with cardiovascular events in CKD patients. Serum indoxyl sulfate measurement may help to identify the high dialysis and cardiovascular risk CKD patients beyond traditional risk factors.

Comparative Effectiveness between Expanded Hemodialysis (Hemodialysis Using a Medium Cut-Off Dialyzer) and Mixed-Dilution Online Hemodiafiltration Using a High-Flux Dialyzer in Removing Middle-Molecule Uremic Toxins.

INTRODUCTION: Expanded hemodialysis (HD using a medium cut-off dialyzer [HD + MCO]) provides comparable or better removal of various uremic toxins, particularly large middle-molecule uremic toxins, than post-dilution online hemodiafiltration (olHDF). Uremic toxin-removing effectiveness between HD + MCO and mixed-dilution olHDF, one of the currently most efficient olHDF modalities, has not been assessed. METHOD: This randomized controlled trial was conducted in 14 prevalent thrice-a-week HD patients with blood flow rate above 400 mL/min. The patients were randomized into two sequences of 2-week treatment periods of HD + MCO and later mixed-dilution olHDF or vice versa. The reduction ratio (RR) values of small-molecule as well as middle-molecule uremic toxins and protein-bound uremic toxins were measured at baseline and at the end of the treatment. RESULTS: When compared with mixed-dilution olHDF, HD + MCO provided slightly lower ß2M RR, but the value was still higher than 75%; showed similar κFLC RR, IS RR, and URR; and yielded significantly higher RR values of α1M (p < 0.001) and λFLC (p < 0.001). Despite higher albumin loss in HD + MCO, the serum albumin levels at the end of the study were comparable between both groups. CONCLUSION: Expanded HD (HD + MCO) provided similar effectiveness in removing various uremic toxins and could exhibit greater removal of large middle-molecule uremic toxins, such as α1M and λFLC. Expanded HD can be used as an effective alternative option for mixed-dilution olHDF.

Association of Drug-Metabolizing Enzyme and Transporter Gene Polymorphisms and Lipid-Lowering Response to Statins in Thai Patients with Dyslipidemia.

PURPOSE: Statins are increasingly widely used in the primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease. However, there is an inter-individual variation in statin response among patients. The study aims to determine the association between genetic variations in drug-metabolizing enzyme and transporter (DMET) genes and lipid-lowering response to a statin in Thai patients with hyperlipidemia. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Seventy-nine patients who received statin at steady-state concentrations were recruited. Serum lipid profile was measured at baseline and repeated after 4-month on a statin regimen. The genotype profile of 1936 DMET markers was obtained using Affymetrix DMET Plus genotyping microarrays. RESULTS: In this DMET microarray platform, five variants; SLCO1B3 (rs4149117, rs7311358, and rs2053098), QPRT (rs13331798), and SLC10A2 (rs188096) showed a suggestive association with LDL-cholesterol-lowering response. HDL-cholesterol-lowering responses were found to be related to CYP7A1 gene variant (rs12542233). Seven variants, SLCO1B3 (rs4149117, rs7311358, and rs2053098); SULT1E1 (rs3736599 and rs3822172); and ABCB11 (rs4148768 and rs3770603), were associated with the total cholesterol-lowering response. One variant of the ABCB4 gene (rs2109505) was significantly associated with triglyceride-lowering response. CONCLUSION: This pharmacogenomic study identifies new genetic variants of DMET genes that are associated with the lipid-lowering response to statins. Genetic polymorphisms in DMET genes may impact the pharmacokinetics and lipid-lowering response to statin. The validation studies confirmations are needed in future pharmacogenomic studies.

The sterility, stability and efficacy of repackaged ziv-aflibercept for intravitreal administration.

To evaluate the sterility, stability, and efficacy of repackaged ziv-aflibercept in 1-mL plastic tuberculin syringes for intravitreal injection after storage for up to 90 days at controlled (4 °C) and ambient (25.8 °C) temperature. A total of 168 tuberculin-type 1-mL syringes were prepared containing ziv-aflibercept (100 mg/4 mL). Samples were stored at 4 °C and 25.8 °C for 0, 3, 7, 14, 21, 28, 60, and 90 days. At each time point, four samples were evaluated for the stability and binding affinity of anti-VEGF to VEGF (efficacy) using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs). All samples were analyzed for microbial growth. No microbial growth was obtained from any of the ziv-aflibercept samples during each time point, indicating that the repackaged ziv-aflibercept stored at 4 °C and 25.8 °C remained sterile. ELISA analysis revealed no significant decrease in concentration, and binding affinity was observed, indicating that the stability and efficacy were preserved. However, the concentration of ziv-aflibercept decreased less than the minimum expected concentration of 8 ng/mL after 60 days at 4 °C and after 30 days at 25.8 °C. The repackaged anti-VEGF drug ziv-aflibercept does not lose stability or efficacy and remains uncontaminated if prepared under sterile conditions and stored at 4 °C for up to 60 days or stored at 25.8 °C for up to 30 days.

Genotypic and phenotypic landscapes of 51 pharmacogenes derived from whole-genome sequencing in a Thai population.

Differences in drug responses in individuals are partly due to genetic variations in pharmacogenes, which differ among populations. Here, genome sequencing of 171 unrelated Thai individuals from all regions of Thailand was used to call star alleles of 51 pharmacogenes by Stargazer, determine allele and genotype frequencies, predict phenotype and compare high-impact variant frequencies between Thai and other populations. Three control genes, EGFR, VDR, and RYR1, were used, giving consistent results. Every individual had at least three genes with variant or altered phenotype. Forty of the 51 pharmacogenes had at least one individual with variant or altered phenotype. Moreover, thirteen genes had at least 25% of individuals with variant or altered phenotype including SLCO1B3 (97.08%), CYP3A5 (88.3%), CYP2C19 (60.82%), CYP2A6 (60.2%), SULT1A1 (56.14%), G6PD (54.39%), CYP4B1 (50.00%), CYP2D6 (48.65%), CYP2F1 (46.41%), NAT2 (40.35%), SLCO2B1 (28.95%), UGT1A1 (28.07%), and SLCO1B1 (26.79%). Allele frequencies of high impact variants from our samples were most similar to East Asian. Remarkably, we identified twenty predicted high impact variants which have not previously been reported. Our results provide information that contributes to the implementation of pharmacogenetic testing in Thailand and other Southeast Asian countries, bringing a step closer to personalized medicine.

Comparative efficacy between hemodialysis using super high-flux dialyzer with hemoperfusion and high-volume postdilution online hemodiafiltration in removing protein bound and middle molecule uremic toxins: A cross-over randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Hemodialysis (HD) using super high-flux dialyzer (HD + SHF) comparably removed uremic toxins to high-volume postdilution online hemodiafiltration (olHDF). Integration of hemoperfusion (HP) to HD + SHF (HD + SHF + HP) might provide superior uremic toxin removing capability to high-volume postdilution olHDF. METHOD: The present study was conducted in thrice-a-week HD patients to compare the efficacy in removing indoxyl sulfate (IS), beta-2 microglobulin (ß2 M), and urea between high-volume postdilution ol-HDF and HD + SHF + HP, comprising HD + SHF as the main treatment plus HD + SHF + HP 1/week in the first 4 weeks and 1/2 weeks in the second 4 weeks. RESULTS: Ten prevalent HD patients with blood flow rate (BFR) above 400 ml/min were randomized into two sequences of 8-week treatment periods of HD + SHF + HP and later high-volume postdilution olHDF or vice versa. When compared with high-volume postdilution olHDF (convective volume of 26.02 ± 1.8 L/session), HD + SHF + HP provided comparable values of percentage reduction ratio of IS (52.0 ± 11.7 vs. 56.3 ± 7.5%, p = 0.14) and ß2 M (83.7 ± 4.9 vs. 84.0 ± 4.3%, p = 0.37) and slightly lower urea reduction ratio. Despite greater dialysate albumin loss (p = 0.008), there was no significant change in serum albumin level in HD + SHF + HP group. CONCLUSIONS: HD + SHF + HP could not provide superior efficacy in removing uremic toxins to high-volume postdilution olHDF. The use of low BFR of 200 ml/min during the first 2 h of HD + SHF + HP session, according to the instruction of manufacturer, might impair the efficacy of the HD + SHF part in removing uremic toxins.

Host genetic factors of COVID-19 susceptibility and disease severity in a Thai population.

Host genetic factors have been shown to play a role in SARs-CoV-2 infection in diverse populations. However, the genetic landscape differs among various ethnicities; therefore, we explored the host genetic factors associated with COVID-19 disease susceptivity and disease severity in a Thai population. We recruited and genotyped 212 unrelated COVID-19 Thai patients and 36 controls using AxiomTM Human Genotyping SARs-COV-2 array, including 847,384 single nucleotide polymorphisms related to SARs-COV-2 pathogenesis, immune response, and related comorbidity No SNPs passed the genome-wide significance threshold of p value <1 × 10-8. However, with a threshold of p value <1 × 10-5, a locus on chromosome 5q32 was found to have a suggestive association with COVID-19 disease susceptibility (p value 6.9 × 10-6; Q-Q plot λ = 0.805, odds ratio 0.02). Notably, IL17B is a gene located in this linkage disequilibrium block and is previously shown to play a part in inflammation and pneumonia. Additionally, a suggestive locus on chromosome 12q22, harboring EEA1 and LOC643339, was associated with COVID-19 disease severity (p value 1.3 × 10-6 - 4.4 × 10-6, Q-Q plot λ = 0.997, odds ratio 0.28-0.31). EEA1 is involved in viral entry into cells, while LOC643339 is a long non-coding RNA. In summary, our study suggested loci on chromosomes 5q32 and 12q22 to be linked to COVID-19 disease susceptibility and disease severity, respectively. The small sample size of this study may lessen the likelihood that the association found is real, but it could still be true. Further study with a larger cohort is required to confirm these findings.

Protein-Bound Uremic Toxins Lowering Effect of Sevelamer in Pre-Dialysis Chronic Kidney Disease Patients with Hyperphosphatemia: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

P-cresyl sulfate and indoxyl sulfate are strongly associated with cardiovascular events and all-cause mortality in chronic kidney disease (CKD). This randomized controlled trial was conducted to compare the effects between sevelamer and calcium carbonate on protein-bound uremic toxins in pre-dialysis CKD patients with hyperphosphatemia. Forty pre-dialysis CKD patients with persistent hyperphosphatemia were randomly assigned to receive either 2400 mg of sevelamer daily or 1500 mg of calcium carbonate daily for 24 weeks. A significant decrease of total serum p-cresyl sulfate was observed in sevelamer therapy compared to calcium carbonate therapy (mean difference between two groups -5.61 mg/L; 95% CI -11.01 to -0.27 mg/L; p = 0.04). There was no significant difference in serum indoxyl sulfate levels (p = 0.36). Sevelamer had effects in terms of lowering fibroblast growth factor 23 (p = 0.01) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels (p = 0.04). Sevelamer showed benefits in terms of retarding CKD progression. Changes in vascular stiffness were not found in this study.

Quantification of CYP3A and Drug Transporters Activity in Healthy Young, Healthy Elderly and Chronic Kidney Disease Elderly Patients by a Microdose Cocktail Approach.

Background: Ageing and chronic kidney disease (CKD) affect pharmacokinetic (PK) parameters. Since mechanisms are related and remain unclear, cytochrome P450 (CYP) 3A and drug transporter activities were investigated in the elderly with or without CKD and compared to healthy adults using a microdose cocktail. Methods: Healthy young participants (n = 20), healthy elderly participants (n = 16) and elderly patients with CKD (n = 17) received, in study period 1, a single dose of microdose cocktail probe containing 30 µg midazolam, 750 µg dabigatran etexilate, 100 µg atorvastatin, 10 µg pitavastatin, and 50 µg rosuvastatin. After a 14-day wash-out period, healthy young participants continued to study period 2 with the microdose cocktail plus rifampicin. PK parameters including area under the plasma concentration-time curve (AUC), maximum plasma drug concentration (Cmax), and half-life were estimated before making pairwise comparisons of geometric mean ratios (GMR) between groups. Results: AUC and Cmax GMR (95% confidence interval; CI) of midazolam, a CYP3A probe substrate, were increased 2.30 (1.70-3.09) and 2.90 (2.16-3.88) fold in healthy elderly and elderly patients with CKD, respectively, together with a prolonged half-life. AUC and Cmax GMR (95%CI) of atorvastatin, another CYP3A substrate, was increased 2.14 (1.52-3.02) fold in healthy elderly and 4.15 (2.98-5.79) fold in elderly patients with CKD, indicating decreased CYP3A activity related to ageing. Associated AUC changes in the probe drug whose activity could be modified by intestinal P-glycoprotein (P-gp) activity, dabigatran etexilate, were observed in patients with CKD. However, whether the activity of pitavastatin and rosuvastatin is modified by organic anion transporting polypeptide 1B (OATP1B) and of breast cancer resistance protein (BCRP), respectively, in elderly participants with or without CKD was inconclusive. Conclusions: CYP3A activity is reduced in ageing. Intestinal P-gp function might be affected by CKD, but further confirmation appears warranted. Clinical Trial Registration:http://www.thaiclinicaltrials.org/ (TCTR 20180312002 registered on March 07, 2018).