David Fabre

Endotracheal and aerosol administrations of ceftazidime in patients with nosocomial pneumonia: pharmacokinetics and absolute bioavailability.

Pharmacokinetic studies on ceftazidime, an aminothiazole cephalosporin with a wide spectrum of antibacterial activity, including activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, were performed in patients with nosocomial pneumonia. The concentration-time profiles of ceftazidime in plasma, urine, and bronchial secretions of 12 patients were investigated after intravenous (i.v.) (n = 12), endotracheal (n = 10), and aerosol (n = 5) administrations. In all cases a 1-g dose was administered. Concentrations of drug in all samples were assayed by high-performance liquid chromatography with UV detection. The elimination of the drug from the blood followed a biexponential (i.v. administration) or a monoexponential (endotracheal and aerosol administrations) decay, with an elimination half-life of 6 h and a total body clearance of 4.2 liters/h. The apparent volume of distribution was 0.36 liter/kg of body weight. Renal clearance of the drug accounted for 58% of the total clearance; 66% +/- 17.7%, 33.5% +/- 17.3%, and 6.59% +/- 3.45% of the administered dose were eliminated in urine as parent drug after i.v., endotracheal, and aerosol administrations, respectively. The absolute bioavailabilities were 0.47 and 0.08 for endotracheal and aerosol administrations, respectively. Very high concentrations were found in bronchial secretions after local administration. The MICs for 90% of the most important pathogens responsible for nosocomial infections were exceeded by concentrations in bronchial secretion for up to 12 h after i.v. infusion and for up to 24 h after endotracheal and aerosol administrations.

Steady-state pharmacokinetics of ciprofloxacin in plasma from patients with nosocomial pneumonia: penetration of the bronchial mucosa.

A 30-min intravenous (i.v.) infusion of 200 mg of ciprofloxacin was administered twice daily to 12 patients with nosocomial pneumonia scheduled to undergo diagnostic fiberoptic bronchoscopy. The pharmacokinetics of ciprofloxacin were examined at the presumed steady state after 5 days of treatment. Eleven successive plasma samples were collected in the interval from 0 to 12 h after administration, and bronchial mucosa samples were taken 2 h after administration. Concentrations of drug in all samples were assayed by high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorimetric detection. The results showed that the kinetics in plasma did not differ from those determined previously in healthy volunteers. The mean concentrations in plasma peaked at 4.94 +/- 2.90 mg/liter at the end of infusion. The terminal half-life was 4.95 +/- 2.81 h, and the mean residence time 6.13 +/- 3.17 h. A large volume of distribution was calculated: 2.59 +/- 1.43 liters/kg. Mean total body clearance was 23.3 +/- 10.1 liters/h. The concentrations in bronchial mucosa reached 21.6 +/- 5.63 micrograms/g 2 h after drug intake. The tissue-versus-plasma concentration ratios ranged from 10.1 to 26.3 (mean value, 16.9 +/- 5.43). After 6 to 12 days of i.v. treatment, four patients were switched to oral ciprofloxacin. We propose a model for the simultaneous fit of the concentration-time curves obtained after i.v. infusion and oral dosing. The concentrations in tissue observed in this study were in excess of the MICs for bacteria considered to be susceptible to ciprofloxacin.

Identification of Patients with Impaired Hepatic Drug Metabolism Using a Limited Sampling Procedure for Estimation of Phenazone (Antipyrine) Pharmacokinetic Parameters

SummaryPhenazone (antipyrine) 1g was given by short intravenous infusion to 62 study participants (10 healthy drug-free volunteers and 52 patients with chronic liver disease). A Bayesian approach was developed to determine the individual pharmacokinetic parameters of Phenazone.Statistical characteristics of the population pharmacokinetic parameters were first evaluated for 30 patients. When combined with 1 plasma drug concentration from members of the second group, these led to a Bayesian estimation of individual pharmacokinetic parameters for the remaining 32 individuals. Total clearance computed by Bayesian estimation was compared with maximal likelihood estimation of this parameter, the classical procedure. No statistically significant differences were found. Performance of the developed methodology was evaluated by computing bias and precision. The mean error was 0.0477 L/h. The precision of the prediction of this parameter (0.155 L/h) remained lower than the interindividual standard deviation (0.765 L/h).This procedure enables the estimation of individual pharmacokinetic parameters for Phenazone. In this study, numerous laboratory tests were performed. A highly significant correlation (p < 0.001) was found between Phenazone clearance and the prothrombin time, albumin, γ-globulin, factor V, antithrombin III, fibrinogen and total bilirubin. Discriminant analysis determined that protein, alkaline phosphatase, creatininaemia and γ-globulin had more significant discriminating power and gave better prognostic results than those seen with the Child-Pugh test.

Multiple-dose pharmacokinetics of amikacin and ceftazidime in critically ill patients with septic multiple-organ failure during intermittent hemofiltration.

The pharmacokinetic parameters of amikacin and ceftazidime were assessed in four patients undergoing hemofiltration for septic shock. The parameters were assessed during hemofiltration and in the interim period. The concentration-time profiles of these two drugs in plasma, urine, and ultrafiltrate were investigated after intravenous perfusion (30 min). In all cases a 1-g dose of ceftazidime was administered; for amikacin, the dosage regimen was adjusted according to the patients amikacin levels (250 to 750 mg). Concentrations of drug in all samples were assayed by high-performance liquid chromatography with UV detection for ceftazidime and by enzyme multiplied immunoassay for amikacin. The elimination half-life (t1/2) and the total clearance of amikacin ranged from 31.1 to 138.2 h and from 5.4 to 8.9 ml/min, respectively, during the interhemofiltration period in anuric patients. Hemofiltration substantially decreased the t1/2 (3.5 +/- 0.49 h) and increased the total clearance (89.5 +/- 11.8 ml/min). The hemofiltration clearance of amikacin represented 71% of the total clearance, and the hemofiltration process removed, on average, 60% of the dose. During hemofiltration, the elimination t1/2 of ceftazidime (2.8 +/- 0.69 h) was greatly reduced and the total clearance increased (74.2 +/- 11.2 ml/min) compared with those in the interhemofiltration period (9 to 43.7 h and 7.4 to 16.8 ml/min, respectively). About 55% of the administered dose was recovered in the filtrate, and the hemofiltration clearance of ceftazidime was 46 +/- 14.3 ml/min. A redistribution phenomenon (rebound) in the amikacin and ceftazidime concentrations in plasma (35 and 28%, respectively) was reported after hemofiltration in two patients. The MICs for 90% of the most important pathogens were exceeded by the concentrations of the two drugs in plasma during the whole treatment of these patients.

A Limited Sampling Model with Bayesian Estimation to Determine Inulin Pharmacokinetics Using the Population Data Modelling Program P-PHARM

SummaryThis study describes the methodology used to calculate the individual clearance (CL) and volume of distribution (Vd) of inulin using 1 or 2 blood samples taken during the disposition and elimination phase after a single intravenous perfusion, and the population parameters. The mean population parameters and their interindividual variability were obtained from an initial group of 90 patients including 38.5% who had diabetes, 49% who were obese, and 12.5% who were diabetic and obese. Among these patients, 44.5% had normal renal function (creatinine clearance ranging from 70 to 150 ml/min/1.73m2) and 20% showed renal insufficiency with a creatinine clearance ranging from 15 to 60 ml/min/1.73m2. A 2-compartment model was fitted to the population data using P-PHARM. The population parameter estimates of CL and Vd were 6.85 ± 1.04 L/h and 4.95 ± 0.84L, respectively. The interindividual variability of CL was explained by a linear dependency between serum creatinine and body area. The interindividual variability of Vd was explained by a linear dependency with body area. A test group of 25 additional patients was used to evaluate the predictive performance of the population parameters. Seven blood samples were collected from each individual in order to calculate individual parameter estimates using standard fitting procedures. These values were compared with those estimated by means of a Bayesian approach using population parameters and 1 or 2 samples selected from the individual observations. The results show that the bias of CL and Vd, estimated using either 1 or 2 samples, was not statistically different from zero, and that the precision of these parameters was excellent.

Population Pharmacokinetic Analysis of Alirocumab in Healthy Volunteers or Hypercholesterolemic Subjects Using a Michaelis–Menten Approximation of a Target-Mediated Drug Disposition Model—Support for a Biologics License Application Submission: Part I

BackgroundAlirocumab, a human monoclonal antibody, inhibits proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) to significantly reduce low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels; pharmacokinetics (PK) are governed by non-linear, target-mediated drug disposition (TMDD).ObjectivesWe aimed to develop and qualify a population PK (PopPK) model to characterize the PK profile of alirocumab, evaluate the impact of covariates on alirocumab PK and on individual patient exposures, and estimate individual predicted concentrations for a subsequent PK/pharmacodynamic (PD) analysis.MethodsData from 13 phase I–III trials of 2799 healthy volunteers or patients with hypercholesterolemia treated with intravenous or subcutaneous alirocumab (13,717 alirocumab concentrations) were included; a Michaelis–Menten approximation of the TMDD model was used to estimate PK parameters and exposures. The final model comprised two compartments with first-order absorption. Elimination from the central compartment was described by linear (CLL) and non-linear Michaelis–Menten clearance (Vm and Km). The model was validated using visual predictive check and bootstrap methods. Patient exposures to alirocumab were computed using individual PK parameters.ResultsThe PopPK model was well-qualified, with the majority of observed alirocumab concentrations in the 2.5th–97.5th predicted percentiles. Covariates responsible for interindividual variability were identified. Body weight and concomitant statin administration impacted CLL, whereas time-varying free PCSK9 concentrations and age affected Km and peripheral distribution volume (V3), respectively. No covariates were clinically meaningful, therefore no dose adjustments were needed.ConclusionsThe model explained the between-subject variability, quantified the impact of covariates, and, finally, predicted alirocumab concentrations (subsequently used in a PopPK/PD model, see Part II) and individual exposures.

Population Pharmacokinetic/Pharmacodynamic Analysis of Alirocumab in Healthy Volunteers or Hypercholesterolemic Subjects Using an Indirect Response Model to Predict Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol Lowering: Support for a Biologics License Application Submission: Part II

BackgroundAlirocumab, a human monoclonal antibody against proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9), significantly lowers low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels.ObjectiveThis analysis aimed to develop and qualify a population pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic model for alirocumab based on pooled data obtained from 13 phase I/II/III clinical trials.MethodsFrom a dataset of 2799 individuals (14,346 low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol values), individual pharmacokinetic parameters from the population pharmacokinetic model presented in Part I of this series were used to estimate alirocumab concentrations. As a second step, we then developed the current population pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic model using an indirect response model with a Hill coefficient, parameterized with increasing low-density lipoprotein cholesterol elimination, to relate alirocumab concentrations to low-density lipoprotein cholesterol values.ResultsThe population pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic model allowed the characterization of the pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic properties of alirocumab in the target population and estimation of individual low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels and derived pharmacodynamic parameters (the maximum decrease in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol values from baseline and the difference between baseline low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and the pre-dose value before the next alirocumab dose). Significant parameter-covariate relationships were retained in the model, with a total of ten covariates (sex, age, weight, free baseline PCSK9, total time-varying PCSK9, concomitant statin administration, total baseline PCSK9, co-administration of high-dose statins, disease status) included in the final population pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic model to explain between-subject variability. Nevertheless, the high number of covariates included in the model did not have a clinically meaningful impact on model-derived pharmacodynamic parameters.ConclusionsThis model successfully allowed the characterization of the population pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic properties of alirocumab in its target population and the estimation of individual low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels.