Assessment of toxicity and potential risk of the anticoagulant rodenticide diphacinone using Eastern screech-owls (Megascops asio).

In the United States, new regulatory restrictions have been placed on the use of some second-generation anticoagulant rodenticides. This action may be offset by expanded use of first-generation compounds (e.g., diphacinone; DPN). Single-day acute oral exposure of adult Eastern screech-owls (Megascops asio) to DPN evoked overt signs of intoxication, coagulopathy, histopathological lesions (e.g., hemorrhage, hepatocellular vacuolation), and/or lethality at doses as low as 130 mg/kg body weight, although there was no dose-response relation. However, this single-day exposure protocol does not mimic the multiple-day field exposures required to cause mortality in rodent pest species and non-target birds and mammals. In 7-day feeding trials, similar toxic effects were observed in owls fed diets containing 2.15, 9.55 or 22.6 ppm DPN, but at a small fraction (<5%) of the acute oral dose. In the dietary trial, the average lowest-observed-adverse-effect-level for prolonged clotting time was 1.68 mg DPN/kg owl/week (0.24 mg/kg owl/day; 0.049 mg/owl/day) and the lowest lethal dose was 5.75 mg DPN/kg owl/week (0.82 mg/kg owl/day). In this feeding trial, DPN concentration in liver ranged from 0.473 to 2.21 µg/g wet weight, and was directly related to the daily and cumulative dose consumed by each owl. A probabilistic risk assessment indicated that daily exposure to as little as 3-5 g of liver from DPN-poisoned rodents for 7 days could result in prolonged clotting time in the endangered Hawaiian short-eared owl (Asio flammeus sandwichensis) and Hawaiian hawk (Buteo solitarius), and daily exposure to greater quantities (9-13 g of liver) could result in low-level mortality. These findings can assist natural resource managers in weighing the costs and benefits of anticoagulant rodenticide use in pest control and eradication programs.

[Relationship between maintenance dosages of fluindione (Préviscan) and warfarin (Coumadin) for patients 70 years and older]. / Nomogramme d'équivalence entre les posologies de fluindione (Préviscan) et de warfarine (Coumadine) pour des patients de 70 ans et plus.

INTRODUCTION: Switching from fluindione, an indanedione vitamin K antagonist derivative, to warfarin, a coumarin one, or vice versa, requires to know the relationships between dosages of these two molecules. METHODS: We conducted a prospective study in 288 consecutive patients aged 70 years and over, converted from fluindione to warfarin. Patients who were retained for the analysis were those for whom maintenance dosages were obtained for both vitamin K antagonists. RESULTS: Eighty-two patients, mean aged 83 ± 6 years, were analysed. The average daily maintenance dosages were 13.8 ± 6.7 mg (range 5-35) and 3.7 ± 1.7 mg (range 1-8) for fluindione and warfarin, respectively. Using a linear regression model, we built a transition algorithm for the maintenance dosages of warfarin and fluindione. CONCLUSION: This is the first study to propose a conversion algorithm to help prescribers to estimate the maintenance dosage when it is necessary for a patient to switch from fluindione to warfarin or conversely.

Population pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic analysis of fluindione in patients.

OBJECTIVE: Fluindione is a vitamin K antagonist with a long half-life. This study was designed to investigate the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of multiple doses of fluindione in patients. METHODS: In a learning group of 49 patients who began fluindione treatment, blood samples were taken 12, 18, or 24 hours after one, three, and five doses. Concentration of fluindione, activity of clotting factors II, VII, IX and X, prothrombin complex activity (PCA), and international normalized ratio (INR) were measured. An indirect-response pharmacodynamic model was used for each effect. A comprehensive analysis was performed with a nonparametric population approach. The model was evaluated in 24 other patients: blood samples were taken 24 hours after two, three, four, and six doses; and PCA and INR were observed. RESULTS: Analysis of concentrations and clotting factor activities showed notably that (1) fluindione has a long half-life (median, 69 hours), and (2) concentration that inhibits the synthesis of the clotting factors by 50% varied for each factor, with a median ranging from 0.25 to 2.05 mg.L-1 for factors VII and II, respectively. The results obtained for INR and PCA were validated in the 24 subsequent patients. CONCLUSION: The population approach allowed the comparison of several pharmacodynamic submodels. This first application of the indirect-response model to multiple oral anticoagulant doses in patients confirmed that both the pharmacokinetics and the pharmacodynamics of fluindione show substantial interindividual variability.

Beraprost sodium-fluindione combination in healthy subjects: pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic aspects.

Beraprost sodium (BPS), an orally active PGI2 (prostaglandine 12) analogue possesses vasodilatating and platelet aggregation inhibiting properties. It is being developed in peripheral arterial occlusive disease. As in future clinical practice BPS might be co-prescribed with oral anticoagulants, we investigated its interaction with fluindione, a vitamin K antagonist in healthy subjects in a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study. Twelve healthy Caucasian male subjects randomly received BPS 40 microg t.i.d. or placebo for 3 days. There was a 7 day wash out between the two treatment periods. On day 3 of each treatment, the subjects ingested concomitantly a single oral dose of 20 mg of fluindione. The main assessment criterion was fluindione's pharmacokinetics. Secondarily, pharmacodynamic measurements of coagulation (prothrombin time, and International Normalised Ratio, INR) and platelet function (in vitro closure time assessed by PFA-100) were performed. Fluindione was assayed by HPLC with UV detection up to 96 h post-drug. No statistical difference could be evidenced on any fluindione pharmacokinetic parameters between BPS and placebo phases: t 1/2 (h): 35.9 (8.2) vs. 34.0 (4.2) [90% CI 105.8 (95.5-116.2)]; T(max) (h): 2.0 (0.5-6.0) vs. 4.0 (0.5-6.0) [90% CI 136.4 (70.7-208.9)]; Cmax (mg/L): 3.1 (0.6) vs. 2.9 (0.5) [90% CI 94.1 (85.8-103.2)]; AUC 0-inf (mg/h/L): 117.0 (31.5) vs. 113.9 (33.8) [90% CI 97.6 (87.5-108.8)]. The studied doses of BPS did not affect platelet function, at least as assessed by the in vitro platelet function testing. Twenty milligrams of fluindione marginally modified the PT ratio and INR, however, no statistically significant difference was found between BPS and placebo phases. In conclusion, a 3 day regimen of BPS 40 microg t.i.d. by oral route does not seem to affect pharmacokinetic parameters of a fluindione 20 mg single dose.

Availability of phenindione-beta-cyclodextrin inclusion complex.

The inclusion complexation was occurred between beta-cyclodextrin (beta-CD) and phenindione (1) in aqueous solution. The complex formation was proved by solubility, dissolution and permeation study. The inclusion complex was prepared and its physicochemical properties was studied. 1 was combined with beta-CD in 1:1 molar ratio. Using the solubility data, the value of apparent stability constant obtained of 1/beta-CD complex was 492.7. The dissolution rate of 1 was increased in presence of beta-CD. The permeability coefficients of 1 were 7.86 x 10(-3), 4.76 x 10(-3) and 5.0 x 10(-3), corresponding to pure drug, its physical mixture with beta-CD and the inclusion complex, respectively. The presence of human albumin generally decreased the permeability coefficient of the drug. The reduction (79.5%) was found to be nearly equal in case of either pure 1 or its complex with beta-CD. Administration of 1 or its inclusion complex with beta-CD to rabbits increase prothrombin times, the effect was more pronounced in the complex form of drug than free one.

Toxicokinetics and coagulopathy threshold of the rodenticide diphacinone in eastern screech-owls (Megascops asio).

In the United States, new regulations on second-generation anticoagulant rodenticides will likely be offset by expanded use of first-generation anticoagulant rodenticides. In the present study, eastern screech-owls (Megascops asio) were fed 10 µg diphacinone/g wet weight food for 7 d, and recovery was monitored over a 21-d postexposure period. By day 3 of exposure, diphacinone (DPN) was detected in liver (1.63 µg/g wet wt) and kidney (5.83 µg/g) and coagulopathy was apparent. By day 7, prothrombin time (PT) and Russell's viper venom time (RVVT) were prolonged, and some individuals were anemic. Upon termination of exposure, coagulopathy and anemia were resolved within 4 d, and residues decreased to <0.3 µg/g by day 7. Liver and kidney DPN elimination occurred in 2 phases (initial rapid loss, followed by slower loss rate), with overall half-lives of 11.7 d and 2.1 d, respectively. Prolonged PT and RVVT occurred in 10% of the exposed owls with liver DPN concentrations of 0.122 µg/g and 0.282 µg/g and in 90% of the owls with liver concentrations of 0.638 µg/g and 0.361 µg/g. These liver residue levels associated with coagulopathy fall in the range of values reported in raptor mortality incidents involving DPN. These tissue-based toxicity reference values for coagulopathy in adult screech-owls have application for interpreting nontarget mortality and assessing the hazard of DPN in rodent-control operations. Diphacinone exposure evokes toxicity in raptors within a matter of days; but once exposure is terminated, recovery of hemostasis occurs rapidly.

A model predicting fluindione dose requirement in elderly inpatients including genotypes, body weight, and amiodarone.

Indandione VKAs have been widely used for decades, especially in Eastern Europe and France. Contrary to coumarin VKAs, the relative contribution of individual factors to the indandione-VKA response is poorly known. In the present multicentre study, we sought to develop and validate a model including genetic and non-genetic factors to predict the daily fluindione dose requirement in elderly patients in whom VKA dosing is challenging. We prospectively recorded clinical and therapeutic data in 230 Caucasian inpatients mean aged 85 ± 6 years, who had reached international normalized ratio stabilisation (range 2.0-3.0) on fluindione. In the derivation cohort (n=156), we analysed 13 polymorphisms in seven genes potentially involved in the pharmacological effect or vitamin-K cycle (VKORC1, CYP4F2, EPHX1) and fluindione metabolism/transport (CYP2C9, CYP2C19, CYP3A5, ABCB1). We built a regression model incorporating non-genetic and genetic data and evaluated the model performances in a separate cohort (n=74).Body-weight, amiodarone intake, VKORC1, CYP4F2, ABCB1 genotypes were retained in the final model, accounting for 31.5% of dose variability. None influence of CYP2C9 was observed. Our final model showed good performances: in 83.3% of the validation cohort patients, the dose was accurately predicted within 5 mg, i.e.the usual step used for adjusting fluindione dosage. In conclusion, in addition to body-weight and amiodarone-intake, pharmacogenetic factors (VKORC1, CYP4F2, ABCB1) related to the pharmacodynamic effect and transport of fluindione significantly influenced the dose requirement in elderly patients while CYP2C9 did not. Studies are required to know whether fluindione could be an alternative VKA in carriers of polymorphic CYP2C9 alleles, hypersensitive to coumarins.

Pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic variability of fluindione in octogenarians.

In the PREPA observational study, we investigated the factors influencing pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic variability in the responses to fluindione, an oral anticoagulant drug, in a general population of octogenarian inpatients.Measurements of fluindione concentrations and international normalized ratio (INR ) were obtained for 131 inpatients in whom fluindione treatment was initiated. Treatment was adjusted according to routine clinical practice. The data were analyzed using nonlinear mixed-effects modeling, and the parameters were estimated using MONOLI X 3.2. The pharmacokinetics (PK) of fluindione was monocompartmental, whereas the evolution of INR was modeled in accordance with a turnover model (inhibition of vitamin K recycling). Interindividual variability (II V) was very large. Clearance decreased with age and with prior administration of cordarone. Patients who had undergone surgery before the study had lower IC50 values, leading to an increased sensitivity to fluindione. Pharmacokinetic exposure is substantially increased in elderly patients, warranting a lower dose of fluindione.

A pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic model for predicting the impact of CYP2C9 and VKORC1 polymorphisms on fluindione and acenocoumarol during induction therapy.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Vitamin K epoxide reductase complex, subunit 1 (VKORC1) and cytochrome P450 2C9 (CYP2C9) polymorphisms are taken into account when predicting a safe oral dose of coumarin anticoagulant therapy, but little is known about the effects of genetic predictors on the response to fluindione and acenocoumarol. The aims of this study were to characterize the relationship between fluindione and acenocoumarol concentrations and the international normalized ratio (INR) response, and to identify genetic predictors that are important for dose individualization. METHODS: Fluindione concentrations, S- and R-acenocoumarol concentrations, the INR and genotype data from healthy subjects were used to develop a population pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic model in Monolix software. Twenty-four White healthy subjects were enrolled in the pharmacogenetic study. The study was an open-label, randomized, two-period cross-over study. The subjects received two doses of an oral anticoagulant: 20 mg of fluindione (period A) or 4 mg of acenocoumarol (period B). The pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics were studied from day 2 to day 3. RESULTS: A two-compartment model with a first-order input model was selected as the base model for the two drugs. The pharmacodynamic response was best described by an indirect action model with S-acenocoumarol concentrations and fluindione concentrations as the only exposure predictors of the INR response. Three covariates (CYP2C9 genotype, VKORC1 genotype and body weight) were identified as important predictors for the pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic model of S-acenocoumarol, and four covariates (CYP2C9 genotype, VKORC1 genotype, CYP1A2 phenotype and body weight) were identified as predictors for the pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic model of fluindione. Because some previous studies have shown a dose-response relationship between smoking exposure and the CYP1A2 phenotype, it was also noted that smokers have greater CYP1A2 activity. CONCLUSION: During initiation of therapy, CYP2C9 and VKORC1 genetic polymorphisms are important predictors of fluindione and acenocoumarol pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic responses. Our result suggests that it is important to take the CYP1A2 phenotype into account to improve individualization of fluindione therapy, in addition to genetic factors.

Potentiation of fluindione or warfarin by dexamethasone in multiple myeloma and AL amyloidosis.

OBJECTIVES: Patients with primary systemic (AL) amyloidosis or multiple myeloma are frequently treated with cyclic dexamethasone (DXM) courses and often require oral anticoagulants. We previously reported a strong potentiation of oral anticoagulants with intravenous methylprednisolone and observed a similar potentiation with DXM in 3 patients, which led us to prospectively investigate the interaction between DXM and oral anticoagulants. METHODS: Nine patients with multiple myeloma (n=6) or AL amyloidosis (n=3), including 6 prospective patients, taking fluindione (n=8) or warfarin (n=1), were studied for a total of 10 cycles. DXM (40 mg/day for 4 days every 28 days) was administered alone (n=4) or with melphalan (n=5). One patient was studied for 2 consecutive cycles after a moderate increase in the international normalized ratio (INR) during the first course of DXM. International normalized ratio (INR) was measured serially during DXM administration. Plasma oral anticoagulant concentrations were measured for 5 cycles. RESULTS: The mean INR increased from 2.75 (range: 1.80-3.6) at baseline to 5.22 (3.09-7.07) after DXM. Oral anticoagulants were transiently stopped during 8 cycles and 1 mg oral vitamin K was given during 2. No serious bleeding was observed. Plasma oral anticoagulant concentrations increased after DXM administration. In controls receiving DXM without oral anticoagulants, DXM alone did not increase prothrombin time. CONCLUSION: High dose DXM can potentiate oral anticoagulants and elevate INR substantially. INR should therefore be monitored repeatedly during concomitant administration of these 2 drugs to allow individual adaptation of oral anticoagulant doses.

Prediction of fluindione maintenance dosage hampered by large intraindividual variability.

In a previous study, the authors proposed a method to individualize fluindione dosage regimen, based on a pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic model describing the evolution of the International Normalized Ratio (INR). In this method, daily maintenance dosage for a target INR depends on the product of individual Cl and C50. The present work shows the results of a follow-up study in 50 patients for whom target INR was 2.5. INR measurements and dosage regimens were recorded both during hospital stay and during the 1st month of treatment. Patients were defined as equilibrated after 1 month if the last two INRs were in the range 1.5-3.5 under a stable dosage regimen. Actual maintenance dose was compared with the dose predicted using the three first INRs measured in the hospital. Intraindividual variability of Cl*C50 between hospital stay and after 1 month was evaluated. After 1 month, only 27 patients (54%) were equilibrated. Actual maintenance dose varied from 5 to 30 mg daily. There was no bias between predicted and actual maintenance dose (1.4 mg), but a large root mean squared error (8 mg) was found. The intraindividual variability in Cl*C50 between hospital and maintenance regimen was high (93%), which may explain the dispersion in the predicted maintenance dose.