Systemic exposure to tobramycin after local antibiotic treatment with calcium sulphate as carrier material.

INTRODUCTION: Osteoset(®) T is a calcium sulphate void filler containing 4% tobramycin sulphate, used to treat bone and soft tissue infections. Despite systemic exposure to the antibiotic, there are no pharmacokinetic studies in humans published so far. Based on the observations made in our patients, a model predicting tobramycin serum levels and evaluating their toxicity potential is presented. METHODS: Following implantation of Osteoset(®) T, tobramycin serum concentrations were monitored systematically. A pharmacokinetic analysis was performed using a non-linear mixed effects model based on a one compartment model with first-degree absorption. RESULTS: Data from 12 patients treated between October 2006 and March 2008 were analysed. Concentration profiles were consistent with the first-order slow release and single-compartment kinetics, whilst showing important variability. Predicted tobramycin serum concentrations depended clearly on both implanted drug amount and renal function. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Despite the popularity of aminoglycosides for local antibiotic therapy, pharmacokinetic data for this indication are scarce, and not available for calcium sulphate as carrier material. Systemic exposure to tobramycin after implantation of Osteoset(®) T appears reassuring regarding toxicity potential, except in case of markedly impaired renal function. We recommend in adapting the dosage to the estimated creatinine clearance rather than solely to the patient's weight.

The adsorption and lubrication behavior of synovial fluid proteins and glycoproteins on the bearing-surface materials of hip replacements.

The selectivity of synovial fluid protein adsorption onto ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) and alumina (Al(2)O(3)), and in particular the ability of glycoproteins to adsorb in the presence of all the other synovial fluid proteins, was investigated by means of fluorescence microscopy and gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). The non-specific nature of protein adsorption from synovial fluid indicated that the lubrication of artificial hip-joint materials may not be attributable to a single protein as has been frequently suggested. The friction behavior of polyethylene (PE) sliding against Al(2)O(3) in solutions of bovine serum albumin (BSA), alpha-1-acid glycoprotein (AGP) and alpha-1-antitrypsin (A1AT) was investigated by means of colloidal probe atomic force microscopy. BSA was shown to be a poorer boundary lubricant than the phosphate buffered saline used as a control. This was attributed to denaturation of the BSA upon adsorption, which provided a high-shear-strength layer at the interface, impairing the lubrication. Interestingly, both the glycoproteins AGP and A1AT, despite their low concentrations, improved lubrication. The lubricating properties of AGP and A1AT were attributed to adsorption via the hydrophobic backbone, allowing the hydrophilic carbohydrate moieties to be exposed to the aqueous solution, thus providing a low-shear-strength fluid film that lubricated the system. The amount of glycoprotein adsorbed on hydrophobic surfaces was determined by means of optical waveguide lightmode spectroscopy (OWLS), allowing conclusions to be drawn about the conformation of the glycan residues following adsorption.