Isoniazid urine spectrophotometry for prediction of serum pharmacokinetics in adults with TB.

BACKGROUND: Isoniazid (INH) is an important drug in many TB regimens, and unfavorable treatment outcomes can be caused by suboptimal pharmacokinetics. Dose adjustment can be personalized by measuring peak serum concentrations; however, the process involves cold-chain preservation and laboratory techniques such as liquid chromatography (LC)/mass spectrometry (MS), which are unavailable in many high-burden settings. Urine spectrophotometry could provide a low-cost alternative with simple sampling and quantification methods. METHODS: We enrolled 56 adult patients on treatment for active TB. Serum was collected at 0, 1, 2, 4, 6, and 8 h for measurement of INH concentrations using validated LC-MS/MS methods. Urine was collected at 0-4, 4-8, and 8-24 h intervals, with INH concentrations measured using colorimetric methods. RESULTS: The median peak serum concentration and total serum exposure over 24 h were 4.8 mg/L and 16.4 mg*hour/L, respectively. Area under the receiver operator characteristic curves for urine values predicting a subtherapeutic serum concentration (peak <3.0 mg/L) were as follows: 0-4 h interval (AUC 0.85, 95% CI 0.7-0.96), 0-8 h interval (AUC 0.85, 95% CI 0.71-0.96), and 0-24 h urine collection interval (AUC 0.84, 95% CI 0.68-0.96). CONCLUSION: Urine spectrophotometry may improve feasibility of personalized dosing in high TB burden regions but requires further study of target attainment following dose adjustment based on a urine threshold.

CONTEXTE: L'isoniazide (INH) est un médicament important dans de nombreux schémas thérapeutiques contre la TB, et des résultats thérapeutiques défavorables peuvent être dus à une pharmacocinétique sous-optimale. L'ajustement de la dose peut être personnalisé en mesurant les concentrations sériques maximales ; cependant, le processus implique la conservation de la chaîne du froid et des techniques de laboratoire telles que la chromatographie liquide (LC)/spectrométrie de masse (MS), qui ne sont pas disponibles dans de nombreuses régions à forte charge de morbidité. La spec-trophotométrie urinaire pourrait constituer une alternative peu coûteuse avec des méthodes d'échantillonnage et de quantification simples. MÉTHODES: Nous avons recruté 56 patients adultes sous traitement pour une TB active. Le sérum a été prélevé à 0, 1, 2, 4, 6 et 8 h pour mesurer les concentrations d'INH à l'aide de méthodes LC-MS/MS validées. L'urine a été prélevée à des intervalles de 0­4, 4­8 et 8­24 h, et les concentrations d'INH ont été mesurées à l'aide de méthodes colorimétriques. RÉSULTATS: La concentration sérique maximale médiane et l'exposition sérique totale sur 24 h étaient respectivement de 4,8 mg/L et de 16,4 mg*heure/L. L'aire sous les courbes caractéristiques de l'opérateur récepteur a été mesurée à l'aide de méthodes color-imétriques. Les aires sous les courbes caractéristiques des récepteurs pour les valeurs urinaires prédisant une concentration sérique sous-thérapeutique (pic <3,0 mg/L) étaient les suivantes : intervalle 0­4 h (AUC 0,85 ; IC 95% 0,7­0,96), intervalle 0­8 h (AUC 0,85 ; IC 95% 0,71­0,96), et intervalle de collecte d'urine 0­24 h (AUC 0,84 ; IC 95% 0,68­0,96). CONCLUSION: La spectrophotométrie urinaire peut améliorer la faisabilité d'un dosage personnalisé dans les régions à forte charge de TB, mais nécessite une étude plus approfondie de l'atteinte de la cible après l'ajustement de la dose sur la base d'un seuil urinaire.

Características de casos de EPOC atendidos en Argentina / Characteristics of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease treated cases in Argentina

INTRODUCCIÓN La Enfermedad Pulmonar Obstructiva Crónica (EPOC) representa una gran carga de enfermedad, discapacidad y muerte en todo el mundo. Esto ha obligado a desarrollar acciones de salud pública dirigidas a prevenir la enfermedad y proporcionar una mejor atención. Una de ellas es la vigilancia, que apunta a conocer tanto la carga como las características de las personas afectadas. OBJETIVOS Describir los casos de EPOC que se atienden en establecimientos de salud de Argentina para conocer sus características clínicas y personales, los factores asociados a la enfermedad y las características de la atención recibida. MÉTODOS Se realizó un estudio de corte transversal cuantitativo de los casos de EPOC atendidos en los hospitales seleccionados. Se desarrolló el Registro Nacional de EPOC en línea para la carga de los casos. Se describieron las características y su asociación con la gravedad de los casos según la Clasificación GOLD. RESULTADOS Se registraron 581 casos. Entre las características encontradas, se destacaron el hecho de ser o haber sido fumador (más del 80%) y la presencia de depresión o enfermedad cardiovascular. La mayoría presentó tos, expectoración y dificultad respiratoria. La mitad de los casos fueron EPOC grave o muy grave. Los tratamientos recibidos incluyeron beta-2-agonistas, anticolinérgicos de larga duración y corticoides inhalados. La vacunación fue insuficiente. Al comparar la gravedad de los casos con las características, no se encontró una asociación significativa. Se encontró asociación con el tratamiento, aunque con la posibilidad de que los casos más graves no recibieran el beneficio de las mejores prácticas. DISCUSIÓN La vigilancia de estas enfermedades resulta indispensable para la toma de decisiones en salud pública. El registro desarrollado gracias al proyecto puede ser de utilidad en este sentido. Es necesario profundizar el estudio y conocimiento de las patologías en cuestión, y discutir el modo de analizar la información surgida del sistema.

Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis care in the United States.

BACKGROUND: To examine the utilization of the Tuberculosis (TB) Centers of Excellence (COE) medical consultation service and evaluate how these services were being employed for patients in relation to multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB).METHODS: Medical consults are documented in a secure database. The database was queried for MDR-TB consultations over the period 1 January 2013-31 December 2017. All were analyzed to assess provider type, center, setting, year of call, and type of patient (pediatric vs. adult). A subgroup was randomly selected for thematic analysis.RESULTS: The centers received 1560 MDR-TB consultation requests over this period. Providers requesting consults were primarily physicians (55%). The majority of requests were from public health departments (64%) and for adult patients (80%). Four major topic areas emerged: 1) initial management of MDR-TB, 2) MDR-TB longitudinal treatment and complications, 3) management of persons exposed to MDR-TB, and 4) MDR-TB treatment completion.CONCLUSIONS: Analysis of these consultations provides insight into the type of expert advice about MDR-TB that was provided. These findings highlight topics where increased medical training and education may help to improve MDR-TB-related practices.

Comparison of a whole-blood interferon gamma assay with tuberculin skin testing for detecting latent Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection.

CONTEXT: Identifying persons with latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) is crucial to the goal of TB elimination. A whole-blood interferon gamma (IFN-gamma) assay, the QuantiFERON-TB test, is a promising in vitro diagnostic test for LTBI that has potential advantages over the tuberculin skin test (TST). OBJECTIVES: To compare the IFN-gamma assay with the TST and to identify factors associated with discordance between the tests. DESIGN AND SETTING: Prospective comparison study conducted at 5 university-affiliated sites in the United States between March 1, 1998 and June 30, 1999. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 1226 adults (mean age, 39 years) with varying risks of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection or documented or suspected active TB, all of whom underwent both the IFN-gamma assay and the TST. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Level of agreement between the IFN-gamma assay and the TST. RESULTS: Three hundred ninety participants (31.8%) had a positive TST result and 349 (28.5%) had a positive IFN-gamma assay result. Overall agreement between the IFN-gamma assay and the TST was 83.1% (kappa = 0.60). Multivariate analysis revealed that the odds of having a positive TST result but negative IFN-gamma assay result were 7 times higher for BCG-vaccinated persons compared with unvaccinated persons. The IFN-gamma assay provided evidence that among unvaccinated persons with a positive TST result but negative IFN-gamma assay result, 21.2% were responding to mycobacteria other than M tuberculosis. CONCLUSIONS: For all study participants, as well as for those being screened for LTBI, the IFN-gamma assay was comparable with the TST in its ability to detect LTBI, was less affected by BCG vaccination, discriminated responses due to nontuberculous mycobacteria, and avoided variability and subjectivity associated with placing and reading the TST.

Consensus on priority pediatric health concerns in the Philippines

The objective of this conference was to get the consensus on important pediatric health programs, particularly those that are controversial, indefinite or confusing. Comments, views and experience were compiled

Energy cost of ambulation in healthy and disabled Filipino children.

The energy expenditures (Ee) for locomotion by nondisabled and disabled Filipino children aged 7 to 13 were determined and compared using indirect calorimetry. Forty-one controls (20 boys and 21 girls) ambulated at a comfortable pace; 16 children (eight boys and eight girls) with lower extremity poliomyelitis of varying severity ambulated by (1) wheelchair propulsion, (2) bilateral axillary crutches, (3) unilateral lower extremity ankle-foot orthoses or knee-ankle-foot orthoses, and (4) unassisted. Disabled children, regardless of their mode of ambulation, had to expend significantly more energy to ambulate than normal children (p less than 0.05). Wheelchair propulsion cost 16% more energy than the normal gait; crutch ambulation cost 41% more than the control. Children using unilateral braces sacrificed speed to attain near-normal Ee. When they ambulated without orthoses, their Ee increased by 109% over the control. In ascending order, the least energy was expanded by normal ambulation followed by disabled ambulation with unilateral brace, disabled propelling a wheelchair, disabled ambulation with bilateral axillary crutches, and disabled ambulation without brace. Efficiency of locomotion was reflected in the values obtained for Ee in terms of kcal x 10(-3)/kg/m, as demonstrated by the lower Ee but slower ambulation of children with braces, as compared to the nondisabled children.