Relationship between elevated bilirubin levels and enhanced warfarin effects during biliary obstruction.

OBJECTIVES: A marked prolongation of the prothrombin time-international normalized ratio (PT-INR) is frequently observed during biliary obstruction in patients using warfarin. The objective of this study was to identify factors associated with PT-INR prolongation during biliary obstruction in patients using warfarin. METHODS: Among 44 patients using warfarin who had biliary obstruction, we retrospectively investigated warfarin doses and laboratory data before and during biliary obstruction. The primary outcome was the association between changes in PT-INR (ΔPT-INR) and changes in laboratory data before and during biliary obstruction. RESULTS: Median PT-INR was 1.59 (IQR 1.38-1.95) before biliary obstruction and 2.27 (IQR 1.60-3.49) during biliary obstruction, indicating significant prolongation during the obstruction (P < 0.001). ΔPT-INR showed strong positive correlations with change in total bilirubin (ΔT-Bil; ρ = 0.692, P < 0.001) and change in conjugated bilirubin (ΔC-Bil; ρ = 0.731, P < 0.001). ΔPT-INR showed a weak negative correlation with the change in albumin (ΔAlb; ρ = -0.371, P < 0.05). When ΔPT-INR was used as the dependent variable in multiple linear regression analysis, ΔT-Bil, ΔC-Bil, and ΔAlb were significantly associated with ΔPT-INR. CONCLUSIONS: PT-INR was prolonged during biliary obstruction in patients using warfarin, and changes in bilirubin levels were associated with ΔPT-INR. If biliary obstruction with markedly elevated bilirubin levels occurs, measuring PT-INR could lead to safer warfarin therapy.

In vitro analysis of factors affecting the continuous hemodiafiltration clearance of teicoplanin.

BACKGROUND: In the treatment of sepsis, continuous hemodiafiltration (CHDF) and the administration of antibiotics such as teicoplanin (TEIC) are frequently performed in parallel. We aimed to clarify the factors influencing the CHDF clearance (CLCHDF ) of TEIC using a polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) membrane or a polyacrylonitrile and sodium methallyl sulfonate copolymer membrane coated with polyethylenimine (AN69ST). We also investigated whether the adsorption of TEIC onto the hemofilters inhibits the adsorption of interleukin (IL)-6 onto the membranes. METHODS: TEIC, human serum albumin (HSA), and IL-6 were incubated with pieces of hemofilter membranes and adsorption rates were calculated. The CLCHDF , diafiltration rate, and adsorption rate of TEIC were calculated using an in vitro CHDF circuit model. RESULTS: The adsorption rates of TEIC onto the pieces of PMMA and AN69ST membranes ranged from 15.0% to 100% and from -10% to 5%, respectively. The adsorption rate of IL-6 was similar with or without TEIC. The CLCHDF and adsorption rate of TEIC under PMMA-CHDF depended on HSA, but not on effluent flow rate (Qe). The CLCHDF under AN69ST-CHDF depended on HSA and Qe. The observed CLCHDF under AN69ST-CHDF was similar to the predicted value (the product of Qe and the plasma unbound fraction). The observed CLCHDF under PMMA-CHDF was 2.0-7.8 times greater than the predicted value. CONCLUSIONS: Adsorption mainly contributes to the CLCHDF of TEIC using PMMA membranes, whereas diafiltration mainly contributes to the CLCHDF of TEIC using AN69ST membranes. TEIC adsorption might not affect the adsorption of IL-6 onto PMMA membrane.

Contribution of diafiltration and adsorption to vancomycin clearance in a continuous hemodiafiltration circuit model in vitro.

BACKGROUND: Vancomycin (VCM) is eliminated mainly by diafiltration under continuous hemodiafiltration (CHDF), but the contribution of adsorption to CHDF clearance (CLCHDF ) of VCM using a polyacrylonitrile and sodium methallyl sulfonate copolymer membrane coated with polyethylenimine (AN69ST) or a polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) membrane is unknown. This study sought to investigate the contribution of diafiltration and adsorption to the CLCHDF of VCM using AN69ST and PMMA membranes in vitro. METHODS: An in vitro CHDF circuit model was developed. The initial concentration of VCM was 50 µg/mL and human serum albumin (HSA) was prepared at a concentration of 0, 2.5, or 5.0 g/dL. The effluent flow rate (Qe) was set at 800, 1500, or 3000 mL/h. The CLCHDF , diafiltration rate, and adsorption rate of VCM were calculated. RESULTS: Total CLCHDF of VCM using the AN69ST membrane increased and decreased with increasing Qe and HSA concentration, respectively. Diafiltration and adsorption rates were 82.1 ± 9.8% and 12.1 ± 6.1% under all conditions, respectively. Total CLCHDF using the PMMA membrane increased with increasing Qe. Diafiltration and adsorption rates were 89.2 ± 20.4% and 4.6 ± 17.0% under all conditions, respectively. The observed CLCHDF values significantly correlated with the predicted CLCHDF , calculated according to a previous study as the product of Qe and the plasma unbound fraction. CONCLUSIONS: Diafiltration predominantly contributed to CLCHDF of VCM using AN69ST and PMMA membranes. When diafiltration rather than adsorption mainly contributes to the CLCHDF of VCM, the CLCHDF could be predicted from the Qe and HSA concentration, at least in vitro.

Identification of factors affecting meropenem pharmacokinetics in critically ill patients: Impact of inflammation on clearance.

INTRODUCTION: The purpose of this study was to explore factors influencing meropenem pharmacokinetics (PKs) in critically ill patients by developing a population PK model and to determine the optimal dosing strategy. METHODS: This prospective observational study involved 12 critically ill patients admitted to the intensive care unit and treated with meropenem 1 g infused over 1 h every 8 h. Blood samples were collected on days 1, 2, and 5 immediately prior to dosing, and at 1, 2, 4, and 6 h after the start of infusion. Population PK parameters were estimated using nonlinear mixed-effects model software. RESULTS: Meropenem PK was adequately described using a two-compartment model. Typical values of total and inter-compartmental clearance were 9.30 L/h and 9.70 L/h, respectively, and the central and peripheral compartment volumes of distribution were 12.61 L and 7.80 L, respectively. C-reactive protein (CRP) was identified as significant covariate affecting total meropenem clearance. The probability of target attainment (PTA) predicted by Monte Carlo simulations varied according to the patients' CRP. The PTA of 100% time above the minimum inhibitory concentration ≤2 mg/L for bacteria was achieved after a dose of 1 and 2 g infused over 4 h every 8 h in patients with CRP of 30 and 5 mg/dL, respectively. CONCLUSION: The findings of this study suggest that CRP might be helpful in managing meropenem dosing in critically ill patients. Higher doses and extended infusion may be required to achieve optimal pharmacodynamic targets.

Adverse effect investigation using application software after vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 for healthcare workers.

INTRODUCTION: The usefulness of smartphone-based application software as a way to manage adverse events (AEs) after vaccination is well known. The purpose of this study is to clarify the usefulness and precautions of employing a smartphone application for collecting AEs after the administration of Comirnaty®ï¸. METHODS: Healthcare workers (HCWs) who were vaccinated with Comirnaty®ï¸ were asked to register for the application software and to report AEs for 14 days after vaccination. AEs were self-reported according to severity. The software was set to output an alert in case of fever. RESULTS: The number of HCWs who received the first dose was 2,551, and 2,406 (94.3%) reported their vaccinations. 2,547 received the second dose, and 2,347 (92.1%) reported their vaccinations. With the first dose, the reporting rate stayed above 83.3% until the final day. On the other hand, that of the second dose decreased rapidly after 6 days. The most frequent symptom was "pain at injection site" (more than 70%). Severe AEs were 6.6% after the second dose, with 0.6% visiting a clinic. Many AEs peaked on the day after administration and disappeared within 1 week. There were few reports of fever. CONCLUSION: Smartphone applications can be used to collect information on AEs after vaccination. Application settings and dissemination are necessary to maintain the reporting rate of HCWs.

Antibiotics prescriptions for pneumonia analyzed by claim information in Japan.

OBJECTIVE: Japan is an aging society, and pneumonia is the leading cause of death, but the suitability of antibiotics for treating community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in Japan is not clear. The purpose of this study was to investigate antibacterial drugs for treating CAP according to age. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Using the Japanese national database from 2011 to 2014, we analyzed the usage of antibiotics for CAP according to age. RESULTS: The numbers of claim information were 9,386, and 70% of the patients were aged ≥ 75 years. Sulbactam/ampicillin (SBT/ABPC) or ceftriaxone (CTRX) was used in 60%, but broad-spectrum antibiotics, combination therapy, and anti-mycoplasma antibiotics were used in 15 - 28% of all age groups. The 30-day survival rate did not differ between SBT/ABPC or CTRX vs. others. There was no difference in 30-day mortality and risk in any group between the ages of 15 and 64 years. On the other hand, the use of anti-mycoplasma antibiotics reduced the 30-day mortality by 0.50 times (p < 0.01), and the use of two or more antibiotics increased the 30-day mortality by 1.45 times (p = 0.02) at age ≥ 65 years. CONCLUSION: Approximately half of the antibiotics used for CAP requiring hospitalization consisted of CTRX or SBT/ABPC as recommended by the Japanese Respiratory Society (JRS) guidelines. On the other hand, the usage of broad-spectrum antibiotics and combination therapy were relatively frequent at all ages, although their use does not always contribute to survival. Our data provide basic information for analyzing the outcome of pneumonia treatment in terms of an antimicrobial resistance action plan in Japan.

Suspected cholestatic liver injury induced by favipiravir in a patient with COVID-19.

Favipiravir is an antiviral drug that is expected to have a therapeutic effect on SARS-CoV2 infection. Teratogenicity and hyperuricemia are known as the main side effects of favipiravir, but little is known about other side effects. This report describes a case of cholestatic liver injury induced by favipiravir. A 73-year-old Japanese with a history of alcoholic hepatitis was infected with SARS-CoV2. Drug therapy was instituted with lopinavir/ritonavir combined with interferon ß-1b. However, his condition worsened despite additional support with continuous hemodiafiltration and veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. We suspected complications of bacterial pneumonia and started favipiravir in addition to antimicrobial therapy. Favipiravir was administered at 6000 mg/day on the first day and 2400 mg/day for the second and subsequent days for 14 days. After the initiation of antibiotics, transaminase and total bilirubin were elevated, suggesting a transient cholestasic liver dysfunction. The liver dysfunction in this case may have been triggered by antibacterial treatment, and high dose of favipiravir may have promoted the deterioration of liver function. Monitoring of liver function is vital and close attention should be paid when using favipiravir at high doses or in patients with impaired liver function.

Antibiotics for hospitalized children with community-acquired pneumonia in Japan: Analysis based on Japanese national database.

INTRODUCTION: Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is one of the most common causes of pediatric infection requiring hospitalization. Antimicrobial resistance due to the inappropriate use poses a threat worldwide. Our objective is to analyze and optimize the trends of antibiotics used for pediatric inpatients with CAP in a claims database provided by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare. METHODS: Our database randomly sampled 10% of the hospitalized patients every October from 2011 to 2014. Patients aged <15 years in whom antibiotic therapy was initiated within two days of admission were listed. Subsequently, we investigated the antibiotics administered on the first day of prescription. RESULTS: A total of 4,831 antibiotics were prescribed for 3,909 patients. Many patients aged ≤ five years were treated with ß-lactams alone whereas many patients aged ≥ six years were treated with a single antibiotic, such as a macrolide, tetracycline, and quinolone, which covers atypical bacteria. Combination therapy was primarily used in children aged ≥ six years (nearly 30%); the main combination was a ß-lactam and non-ß-lactam covering atypical bacteria. Ampicillin-sulbactam was the most frequently prescribed ß-lactam in children of all ages other than infants. Ampicillin, however, was most often prescribed in infants, but its usage rate was low at other ages. CONCLUSIONS: Antibiotics were appropriately prescribed and were similar to that recommended in the 2011 guidelines for pediatric inpatients with CAP. However, combination therapy was frequently prescribed in children aged ≥ six years. According to the revised guidelines in 2017, ampicillin should be used more frequently for patients hospitalized with CAP.

Evaluation of tacrolimus and mycophenolic acid removal by simultaneous continuous hemodiafiltration and plasma exchange in a lung transplant patient.

WHAT IS KNOWN AND OBJECTIVE: The removal rates of tacrolimus (TAC) and mycophenolic acid (MPA) by simultaneous plasma exchange (PE) and continuous hemodiafiltration (CHDF) are not clear. CASE SUMMARY: We evaluated the removal rates of TAC and MPA by PE and CHDF started simultaneously 5 hours after administration in a lung transplant patient. TAC was not removed. MPA was transferred into the PE effluent, but the total amount in the effluent was only 1% of the dosage. WHAT IS NEW AND CONCLUSION: TAC and MPA were less likely to be removed by PE and CHDF initiated 5 hours after administration.

Population Pharmacokinetic Analysis of Meropenem in Critically Ill Patients With Acute Kidney Injury Treated With Continuous Hemodiafiltration.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to conduct a population pharmacokinetic (PK) analysis of meropenem and to explore the optimal dosing strategy for meropenem in critically ill patients with acute kidney injury receiving treatment with continuous hemodiafiltration (CHDF). METHODS: Blood samples were obtained on days 1, 2, and 5 after the start of meropenem administration, immediately before dosing, and at 1, 2, 6, and 8 hours after dosing. Population PK model analysis was performed and concentration-time profiles were simulated using the Nonlinear Mixed Effects Model software. RESULTS: Twenty-one patients receiving CHDF in our intensive care unit were enrolled and 350 serum concentration-time data points were obtained. The PKs of meropenem were best described using a 2-compartment model. Typical total and intercompartmental clearance values were 4.22 L/h and 7.84 L/h, respectively, whereas the central and peripheral compartment volumes of distribution were 14.82 L and 11.75 L, respectively. Estimated glomerular filtration rate was identified as a significant covariate of meropenem total clearance. In simulations of patients with renal failure receiving CHDF, the dose was affected by estimated glomerular filtration rate; a dose of 0.5 g every 8 hours or 1 g every 12 hours showed the probability of target attainment of achieving 100% time above the minimum inhibitory concentration for bacteria with a minimum inhibitory concentration ≤2 mg/L. CONCLUSIONS: A population PK model was developed for meropenem in critically ill patients with acute kidney injury receiving CHDF. Our results indicated that a meropenem dosage of 0.5 g every 8 hours or 1 g every 12 hours was suitable in this population and for susceptible bacteria.

Population Pharmacokinetics of Vancomycin Under Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy Using a Polymethylmethacrylate Hemofilter.

BACKGROUND: Although continuous hemodiafiltration (CHDF) is often performed in critically ill patients during sepsis treatment, the pharmacokinetics of vancomycin (VCM) during CHDF with a polymethylmethacrylate hemofilter (PMMA-CHDF) have not been revealed. In this study, the authors aimed to describe the population pharmacokinetics of VCM in critically ill patients undergoing PMMA-CHDF and clarify its hemofilter clearance (CLhemofilter). METHODS: This single-center, retrospective study enrolled patients who underwent intravenous VCM therapy during PMMA-CHDF at the intensive care unit of Chiba University Hospital between 2008 and 2016. A population analysis was performed, and CLhemofilter was assessed. RESULTS: Twenty-five patients were enrolled. Median body weight (BW) and Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score were 63 kg and 15, respectively. Mean conditions for CHDF were 107.5 ± 18.3 mL/min for blood flow rate and 26.3 ± 6.3 mL/kg/h for effluent flow rate. The mean parameter estimates were distribution volume of the central compartment (V1), 59.1 L; clearance of the central compartment (CL1), 1.35 L/h; distribution volume of the peripheral compartment (V2), 56.1 L; and clearance of the peripheral compartment (CL2), 3.65 L/h. BW and SOFA score were significantly associated with V1 (P < 0.05) and CL1 (P < 0.05), respectively, and were thus selected as covariates in the final model. The estimated dosage of VCM to achieve a target area under the concentration-time curve/minimum inhibitory concentration ≥400 was 27.1 mg/kg for loading and 9.7 mg/kg every 24 hours for maintenance; these dosages were affected by BW and SOFA score. Mean CLhemofilter obtained from 8 patients was 1.35 L/h, which was similar to CL1. CONCLUSIONS: The authors clarified the pharmacokinetics and CLhemofilter of VCM in PMMA-CHDF patients. The PK of VCM in patients undergoing CHDF appeared to vary not only with the CHDF setting and BW but also with SOFA score.

A retrospective observational study of antibiotics treatment for sepsis using a nationwide claim database in Japan.

Survival Sepsis Campaign (SSC) guidelines have recommended broad-spectrum antibiotics prescriptions to cover the possible pathogenic microorganisms. However, mortality from sepsis is still high, as about one quarter of cases are thought to result in death. We analyzed nationwide health claims data of universal health insurance systems in Japan. Our aim was to describe the antibiotics prescriptions and underlying conditions of Japanese sepsis patients. In addition, we analyzed the factors associated with 30-day mortality. A total of 1188 patients aged ≥15 years were entered, of which 80.1% were ≥65 years old. Broad-spectrum antibiotics were prescribed for 53.8%. Carbapenem, Piperacillin Tazobactam and Anti-pseudomonas Cephalosporin were prescribed for 30.8%, 13.0% and 12.2% of the patients, respectively. (Some patients were counted twice) The overall 30-day mortality rate was 21.3%. Risk factors associated with 30-day mortality were examined by Cox proportional hazards regression analysis. Age of ≥85 years, malignancy, chronic kidney disease (CKD), shock and respiratory failure were selected as risk factors, but broad-spectrum antibiotics was not included. Sepsis is mostly observed in those aged 65 years and over. The rates of broad-spectrum antibiotics were restricted, and antibiotics were also not necessarily prescribed on the basis of SSC guidelines. However, broad-spectrum antibiotics did not improve the treatment outcome. Aging and underlying conditions like malignancy, CKD, shock and respiratory failure were poor prognostic factors.

Successful treatment of Aspergillus empyema using combined intrathoracic and intravenous administration of voriconazole: A case report.

Aspergillus empyema is treated with either systemic administration of antifungal drugs or surgery, but the mortality rate is very high. Here, we report a case of Aspergillus empyema successfully treated using combined intrathoracic and intravenous administration of voriconazole (VRCZ). Treatment success was achieved by monitoring VRCZ plasma trough concentration. The patient was a 71-year-old Japanese woman diagnosed with Aspergillus empyema whom we started on intravenous administration of VRCZ. Although penetration of VRCZ into the pleural effusion was confirmed, the level was below 1 µg/mL, which is the minimum inhibitory concentration for Aspergillus fumigatus determined by antifungal susceptibility testing in pleural effusion culture. Therefore, we initiated combination therapy with intrathoracic and intravenous administration of VRCZ. VRCZ 200 mg was first dissolved in 50-100 mL of saline and administered into the thoracic cavity via a chest tube. The chest tube was clamped for 5-6 h, and then VRCZ solution was excreted though the chest tube. When a single dose of the VRCZ was administered into the intrathoracic space, the plasma concentration before intravenous administration increased from 1.45 µg/mL on day 27 to 1.53 µg/mL on day 28. Although intravenous administration was continued, the VRCZ plasma trough concentration decreased to 1.36 µg/mL on day 29. We therefore decided on an intrathoracic administration schedule of 2-3 times a week. Intrathoracic administration was performed 14 times in total until fenestration surgery on day 64. Our case suggests that combined intrathoracic and intravenous administration of VRCZ may be a valid treatment option for Aspergillus empyema.

Epidemiology and treatment outcome of pneumonia: Analysis based on Japan national database.

Pneumonia is the third leading cause of death in Japan. Mortality increases at an accelerating rate in elderly patients aged ≥65 years. Elderly patients tend to have underlying conditions affecting pneumonia treatment. The national database (NDB) associated with medical services under Japanese universal health insurance is available for research purposes. Our NDB randomly sampled 10% of hospitalized patients every October from 2011 to 2014. In this NDB, we analyzed pneumonia epidemiology in patients aged ≥15 years and 30-day mortality in Japanese hospitals. This study also investigated the factors affecting treatment outcome. A total of 9386 patients were entered. The number of patients from age 65 years and older increased greatly, representing 85% of the total. The thirty-day mortality rate among all patients was 11.7%. Mortality rates at age 15-64, 65-74, 75-84, and ≥85 years were 9.5%, 12.0%, 8.3%, and 14.9%, respectively, showing significant differences (P < 0.001). The underlying conditions varied among age groups. Male gender, age, heart failure, chronic kidney disease (CKD), consciousness disorder, shock and respiratory failure are risk factors for 30-day mortality. Pneumonia develops mainly in people aged 65 years and older in Japan, and treatment outcome is generally poor in elderly patients. The underlying conditions were seen to affect the 30-day mortality rate. CURB-65 and ADROP, a modification of CURB-65 in Japan, have already estimated these risk factors, and heart failure and CKD might be additional factors for estimating pneumonia severity.

A retrospective observational study of antimicrobial treatment for non-tuberculous mycobacteria disease using a nationwide claims database in Japan.

The Macrolides (MLs), clarithromycin and azithromycin, are key drugs for non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) diseases treatment. A three antibiotics regimen including MLs, rifampicin (RFP) and ethambutol (EB) has been recommended for the treatment of NTM diseases in ATS/IDSA guideline. However, anti-biotics are not necessarily prescribed in compliance with the guideline. Inappropriate regimens are risk of introducing MLs resistance. Therefore, we planned this study to evaluate the current Japanese NTM diseases treatment conditions. We used the national database (NDB) from 2011 to 2014. A total of 183 patients were entered into the study. The patients number increased at an accelerating rate in patients aged ≥55 years. Patients aged ≥55 years made up 91.3% of the total NTM diseases. Male and female patients were 61 and 122, respectively, a female/male ratio of 2.00. Clarithromycin, RFP, EB and fluoroquinolones were frequently prescribed, with the numbers of prescriptions being 125, 66, 57 and 45, respectively. The regimen of MLs, RFP and EB recommend by ATS/IDSA guideline 2007 was only followed by 25.1% of the patients. MLs monotherapy was as high as 30.6% of NTM diseases and would be a risk factor leading to an increase of MLs resistance and poor treatment outcome. Without effective NTM disease therapy, the increase of MLs-resistant NTM diseases would be a burden for Japanese health care facilities.

Infantile Aspergillus fumigatus ventriculitis successfully treated with monitoring of plasma and cerebrospinal fluid voriconazole concentration level.

Aspergillosis is a rare fungal infection in newborns, and its morbidity and mortality are high. Voriconazole (VRCZ) is the first-line antifungal agent for invasive Aspergillus infection, but little data is available about its pharmacokinetics in infants. We report a case of a premature infant who developed ventriculitis due to Aspergillus fumigatus and received combination antifungal therapy including VRCZ. ß-D glucan and Aspergillus antigen index were elevated in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). We titrated the dose of VRCZ by monitoring plasma and CSF concentrations. The CSF to plasma concentration ratio of VRCZ ranged from 0.47 to 1.36 (median 0.71). While VRCZ adequately penetrates the blood-brain barrier, its concentration is highly variable in infants.

Association of marked prolongation of prothrombin time-international normalized ratio with warfarin and endoscopic nasobiliary drainage for biliary fistula after left hemihepatectomy.

WHAT IS KNOWN AND OBJECTIVE: Vitamin K deficiency is known to cause impaired coagulation. We report a case of marked prolongation of the prothrombin time-international normalized ratio (PT-INR) associated with warfarin and vitamin K deficiency caused by endoscopic nasobiliary drainage (ENBD). CASE PRESENTATION: Oral administration of warfarin was initiated in a 67-year-old man after left hemihepatectomy. He developed a biliary fistula after surgery that was treated by ENBD, which resulted in significant prolongation of the PT-INR. WHAT IS NEW AND CONCLUSION: The effect of warfarin was enhanced in this patient due to reduced absorption of vitamin K as a result of external biliary drainage.

Correlation between vancomycin penetration into cerebrospinal fluid and protein concentration in cerebrospinal fluid/serum albumin ratio.

Bacterial meningitis is a life-threatening condition. Vancomycin (VCM) is one of the antibiotics used as empirical therapy for bacterial meningitis. It is essential to maintain an adequate concentration of VCM in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) to treat bacterial meningitis effectively. VCM administered intravenously must pass the blood-brain barrier (BBB) to enter the CSF and the extent of VCM penetration into CSF varies widely among patients. Previous report indicated that CSF albumin level is useful for estimation of VCM CSF penetration. However, CSF albumin level is not measured in routine practice. We focused on CSF protein concentration that is generally examined at the beginning of diagnosis and treatment of bacterial meningitis. We examined the relationship between CSF protein concentration/serum albumin ratio and the extent of VCM penetration into CSF. This retrospective study involved 7 patients admitted to our hospital who were treated with VCM for suspected bacterial meningitis. The VCM concentrations in serum and CSF were 17.6 ± 7.2 µg/mL and 3.31 ± 3.14 µg/mL, respectively. The serum VCM concentrations showed no significant correlation with CSF VCM concentrations. On the other hand, the protein concentration in CSF/serum albumin ratio showed a strong positive correlation with the VCM CSF/serum ratio (r = 0.877, p < 0.005). Our study indicates that the ratio of CSF protein concentration/serum albumin is likely useful for estimating the approximate VCM CSF/serum ratio. This could contribute to an improvement in the treatment of bacterial meningitis.

Successful treatment of seizure disorder by evaluating phenobarbital clearance in a paediatric patient undergoing continuous haemodiafiltration.

WHAT IS KNOWN AND OBJECTIVE: Determination of phenobarbital (PB) dosing during continuous haemodiafiltration (CHDF) requires evaluation of both the patient's own clearance and CHDF clearance. CASE DESCRIPTION: Systemic clearance of PB in a 9-year-old female patient with Dravet syndrome, who was undergoing CHDF, was calculated by the Sawchuk-Zaske method, and clearance by CHDF was calculated as the difference between PB levels in influx and efflux, adjusted for the blood purification conditions. Dosage adjustment produced seizure control. WHAT IS NEW AND CONCLUSION: Adjusting PB dose by evaluating the patient's own PB clearance as well as that by CHDF resulted in accurate control of PB level and a reduction in the occurrence of seizures.

A randomized controlled, open-label early phase II trial comparing incidence of FOLFIRI.3-induced diarrhoea between Hangeshashinto and oral alkalization in Japanese patients with colorectal cancer.

WHAT IS KNOWN AND OBJECTIVE: We conducted a pilot clinical trial to investigate whether Hangeshashinto (TJ-14) could be substituted for oral alkalization in patients scheduled to undergo chemotherapy by FOLFIRI.3 regimen for colorectal cancer (CRC). METHODS: Patients with CRC were randomized 1:1 to a TJ-14 (7.5 g/day) group or an oral alkalization (sodium bicarbonate, 1.8 g/day; ursodeoxycholic acid, 300 mg/day) group. The primary endpoint was incident of late-onset diarrhoea. A total of 30 patients were randomized to either the TJ-14 group or the alkalization group. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: There was no statistical difference in age, concomitantly used drugs or UGT1A1 genotypes between the groups. In the alkalization group (n = 15), the frequency of grade 0/1/2 and grade 3 diarrhoea was 73% and 27%, respectively. In the TJ-14 group (n = 14), the frequency of grade 0/1/2 and grade 3 diarrhoea was 79% and 21%, respectively. Grade 4 diarrhoea was not observed in either group. There was no statistically significant difference in other adverse events or in response to FOLFIRI.3 between the groups. WHAT IS NEW AND CONCLUSION: This pilot trial suggests that TJ-14 is a promising alternative treatment option to reduce FOLFIRI.3-induced late-onset diarrhoea, although additional clinical study with a larger number of patients is necessary to confirm these results.