First name
Gwendolyn
Middle name
M
Last name
Pais

Title

Clinical Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics of Cefepime.

Year of Publication

2022

Number of Pages

929-953

Date Published

06/2022

ISSN Number

1179-1926

Abstract

Cefepime is a broad-spectrum fourth-generation cephalosporin with activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative pathogens. It is generally administered as an infusion over 30-60 min or as a prolonged infusion with infusion times from 3 h to continuous administration. Cefepime is widely distributed in biological fluids and tissues with an average volume of distribution of ~ 0.2 L/kg in healthy adults with normal renal function. Protein binding is relatively low (20%), and elimination is mainly renal. About 85% of the dose is excreted unchanged in the urine, with an elimination half-life of 2-2.3 h. The pharmacokinetics of cefepime is altered under certain pathophysiological conditions, resulting in high inter-individual variability in cefepime volume of distribution and clearance, which poses challenges for population dosing approaches. Consequently, therapeutic drug monitoring of cefepime may be beneficial in certain patients including those who are critically ill, have life-threatening infections, or are infected with more resistant pathogens. Cefepime is generally safe and efficacious, with a goal exposure target of 70% time of the free drug concentration over the minimum inhibitory concentration for clinical efficacy. In recent years, reports of neurotoxicity have increased, specifically in patients with impaired renal function. This review summarizes the pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and toxicodynamics of cefepime contemporarily in the setting of increasing cefepime exposures. We explore the potential benefits of extended or continuous infusions and therapeutic drug monitoring in special populations.

DOI

10.1007/s40262-022-01137-y

Alternate Title

Clin Pharmacokinet

PMID

35764774
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Title

Vancomycin-Induced Kidney Injury: Animal Models of Toxicodynamics, Mechanisms of Injury, Human Translation, and Potential Strategies for Prevention.

Year of Publication

2020

Number of Pages

Date Published

2020 Apr 02

ISSN Number

1875-9114

Abstract

<p>Vancomycin is a recommended therapy in multiple national guidelines. Despite the common use, there is a poor understanding of the mechanistic drivers and potential modifiers of vancomycin-mediated kidney injury. In this review, historic and contemporary rates of vancomycin-induced kidney injury (VIKI) are described, and toxicodynamic models and mechanisms of toxicity from preclinical studies are reviewed. Aside from known clinical covariates that worsen VIKI, preclinical models have demonstrated that various factors impact VIKI, including dose, route of administration, and thresholds for pharmacokinetic parameters. The degree of acute kidney injury (AKI) is greatest with the intravenous route and higher doses that produce larger maximal concentrations and areas under the concentration curve. Troughs (i.e., minimum concentrations) have less of an impact. Mechanistically, preclinical studies have identified that VIKI is a result of drug accumulation in proximal tubule cells, which triggers cellular oxidative stress and apoptosis. Yet, there are several gaps in the knowledge which may represent viable targets to make vancomycin therapy less toxic. Potential strategies include prolonging infusions and lowering maximal concentrations, administration of antioxidants, administering agents that decrease cellular accumulation, and reformulating vancomycin to alter the renal clearance mechanism. Based on preclinical models and mechanisms of toxicity, we propose potential strategies to lessen VIKI.</p>

DOI

10.1002/phar.2388

Alternate Title

Pharmacotherapy

PMID

32239518
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Title

Lack of synergistic nephrotoxicity between vancomycin and piperacillin/tazobactam in a rat model and a confirmatory cellular model.

Year of Publication

2020

Number of Pages

Date Published

2020 Feb 03

ISSN Number

1460-2091

Abstract

<p><strong>BACKGROUND: </strong>Vancomycin and piperacillin/tazobactam are reported in clinical studies to increase acute kidney injury (AKI). However, no clinical study has demonstrated synergistic toxicity, only that serum creatinine increases.</p>

<p><strong>OBJECTIVES: </strong>To clarify the potential for synergistic toxicity between vancomycin, piperacillin/tazobactam and vancomycin + piperacillin/tazobactam treatments by quantifying kidney injury in a translational rat model of AKI and using cell studies.</p>

<p><strong>METHODS: </strong>(i) Male Sprague-Dawley rats (n = 32) received saline, vancomycin 150 mg/kg/day intravenously, piperacillin/tazobactam 1400 mg/kg/day intraperitoneally or vancomycin + piperacillin/tazobactam for 3 days. Urinary biomarkers and histopathology were analysed. (ii) Cellular injury was assessed in NRK-52E cells using alamarBlue®.</p>

<p><strong>RESULTS: </strong>Urinary output increased from Day -1 to Day 1 with vancomycin but only after Day 2 for vancomycin + piperacillin/tazobactam-treated rats. Plasma creatinine was elevated from baseline with vancomycin by Day 2 and only by Day 4 for vancomycin + piperacillin/tazobactam. Urinary KIM-1 and clusterin were increased with vancomycin from Day 1 versus controls (P &lt; 0.001) and only on Day 3 with vancomycin + piperacillin/tazobactam (P &lt; 0.001, KIM-1; P &lt; 0.05, clusterin). The histopathology injury score was elevated only in the vancomycin group when compared with piperacillin/tazobactam as a control (P = 0.04) and generally not so with vancomycin + piperacillin/tazobactam. In NRK-52E cells, vancomycin induced cell death with high doses (IC50 48.76 mg/mL) but piperacillin/tazobactam did not, and vancomycin + piperacillin/tazobactam was similar to vancomycin.</p>

<p><strong>CONCLUSIONS: </strong>All groups treated with vancomycin demonstrated AKI; however, vancomycin + piperacillin/tazobactam was not worse than vancomycin. Histopathology suggested that piperacillin/tazobactam did not worsen vancomycin-induced AKI and may even be protective.</p>

DOI

10.1093/jac/dkz563

Alternate Title

J. Antimicrob. Chemother.

PMID

32011685
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Title

Mechanisms of antimicrobial-induced nephrotoxicity in children.

Year of Publication

2019

Number of Pages

Date Published

2019 Aug 01

ISSN Number

1460-2091

Abstract

<p>Drug-induced nephrotoxicity is responsible for 20% to 60% of cases of acute kidney injury in hospitalized patients and is associated with increased morbidity and mortality in both children and adults. Antimicrobials are one of the most common classes of medications prescribed globally and also among the most common causes of nephrotoxicity. A broad range of antimicrobial agents have been associated with nephrotoxicity, but the features of kidney injury vary based on the agent, its mechanism of injury and the site of toxicity within the kidney. Distinguishing nephrotoxicity caused by an antimicrobial agent from other potential inciting factors is important to facilitate both early recognition of drug toxicity and prompt cessation of an offending drug, as well as to avoid unnecessary discontinuation of an innocuous therapy. This review will detail the different types of antimicrobial-induced nephrotoxicity: acute tubular necrosis, acute interstitial nephritis and obstructive nephropathy. It will also describe the mechanism of injury caused by specific antimicrobial agents and classes (vancomycin, aminoglycosides, polymyxins, antivirals, amphotericin B), highlight the toxicodynamics of these drugs and provide guidance on administration or monitoring practices that can mitigate toxicity, when known. Particular attention will be paid to paediatric patients, when applicable, in whom nephrotoxin exposure is an often-underappreciated cause of kidney injury.</p>

DOI

10.1093/jac/dkz325

Alternate Title

J. Antimicrob. Chemother.

PMID

31369087
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Title

Comparative performance of urinary biomarkers for vancomycin induced kidney injury according to timeline of injury.

Year of Publication

2019

Number of Pages

Date Published

2019 Apr 15

ISSN Number

1098-6596

Abstract

<p>Urinary biomarkers are superior to serum creatinine for defining onset and extent of kidney injury. This study classifies the temporal predictive ability of biomarkers for vancomycin-induced kidney injury (VIKI) as defined by histopathologic damage.: Male Sprague-Dawley rats (n=125) were randomized to receive 150 to 400 mg/kg/day vancomycin via once or twice daily intraperitoneal injection over 1, 3, or 6 days. Urine was collected once during the 24 hours prior to euthanasia or twice for rats treated for 6 days. Receiver operating characteristic curves (ROC) were employed to assess urinary biomarker performance of kidney injury molecule 1 (KIM-1), clusterin, osteopontin (OPN), cystatin C, and neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) to predict histopathologic defined VIKI (using a national standard pathologic assessment scheme from hematoxylin and eosin stained kidneys). Urinary KIM-1, clusterin, and OPN outperformed cystatin C and NGAL according to sensitivity and specificity. For the earliest injury, urinary KIM-1 (AUC 0.662, p&lt;0.001) and clusterin (AUC 0.706, p&lt;0.001) were most sensitive to predicting even low-level histopathologic damage at 24 h when compared to NGAL. KIM-1 and clusterin are earliest and most sensitive predictors of VIKI. As injury progresses, KIM-1, clusterin and OPN define the extent of damage best.</p>

DOI

10.1128/AAC.00079-19

Alternate Title

Antimicrob. Agents Chemother.

PMID

30988153
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