Monitoring plasma voriconazole levels may be necessary to avoid subtherapeutic levels in hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients

BACKGROUND: Low voriconazole levels have been associated with a higher failure rate in patients with confirmed fungal infections. METHODS: Steady-state plasma trough voriconazole levels were measured after at least 5 days of therapy in 87 patients with hematologic malignancies on 201 separate occasions (1-5 levels per patient; median, 2). Most patients (90%) had undergone allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. The daily voriconazole dose, administered in 2 divided doses, was 200 mg (n = 4), 400 mg (n = 151), 500 mg (n = 20), 600 mg (n = 18), and 800 mg (n = 8); corresponding to 2.0-16.3 (median, 5.4) mg/kg. Plasma voriconazole levels were 0-12.5 microg/mL (median, 1.2). Voriconazole was undetectable (<0.2 mug/mL) in 15%. RESULTS: The correlation between dose and levels was weak (r = 0.14; P = .045). The median absolute daily drug dose (400 mg) was identical in groups of patients with levels of 0, 0.2 to 0.5, >0.5 to 2.0, >2.0 to 5.0, and >5.0. Whereas the daily drug dose in mg/kg was significantly higher when the levels were >5.0 microg/mL, there was no consistent relation between dose and level below that threshold. In adult patients getting standard doses of voriconazole orally, the drug levels are highly variable. Based on limited available data, between a quarter and two-thirds of these levels could potentially be associated with a lower likelihood of response or a higher likelihood of failure. CONCLUSIONS: Future voriconazole studies should incorporate prospective therapeutic drug monitoring and consideration should be given to checking levels in patients receiving the drug for confirmed, life-threatening fungal infections.     

Antifungal Prophylaxis with Voriconazole or Itraconazole in Lung Transplant Recipients: Hepatotoxicity and Effectiveness

Invasive fungal infections (IFI) are common after lung transplantation and there are limited data for the use of antifungal prophylaxis in these patients. Our aim was to compare the safety and describe the effectiveness of universal prophylaxis with two azole regimens in lung transplant recipients.
This is a retrospective study in lung transplant recipients from July 2003 to July 2006 who received antifungal prophylaxis with itraconazole or voriconazole plus inhaled amphotericin B to compare the incidence of hepatotoxicity. Secondary outcomes include describing the incidence of IFI, clinical outcomes after IFI and mortality.
Sixty-seven consecutive lung transplants received antifungal prophylaxis, 32 itraconazole and 35 voriconazole and inhaled amphotericin B. There were no significant differences between groups in the acute physiology and chronic health evaluation (APACHE) score at the time of transplantation, demographic characteristics, comorbidities and concomitant use of hepatotoxic medications. Hepatotoxicity occurred in 12 patients receiving voriconazole and inhaled amphotericin B and in no patients receiving itraconazole (p < 0.001). There was no significant difference between groups with regard to the percentage of transplants with IFI, but one case of zygomycosis occurred in a transplant treated with voriconazole. Voriconazole prophylaxis after lung transplantation was associated with a higher incidence of hepatotoxicity and similar clinical effectiveness when compared to itraconazole.     

HPLC-MS/MS法测定伏立康唑的血药浓度及其在生物等效性研究中的应用

目的建立测定人血浆中伏立康唑的高效液相色谱-串联质谱法（HPLC-MS/MS）,研究2种伏立康唑片的相对生物利用度。方法血浆样品经酸化后用甲醇沉淀蛋白,经Waters Atlantis C18柱分离,流动相为乙腈-0.2%冰醋酸水溶液（内含20 mmol.L-1醋酸铵）（60∶40,v/v）,流速为0.2 mL.min-1;选择多反应离子检测（MRM）方式进行定量分析,用于监测的离子为质荷比m/z350.9→281.4（伏立康唑）和m/z307.9→220.3（内标氟康唑）。18名健康志愿者以随机交叉方式分别单次口服伏立康唑分散片T或伏立康唑片R 0.2 g后于不同时间点取血,样品以新建立的HPLC-MS/MS法测定,研究比较两制剂的药动学及相对生物利用度。结果伏立康唑与血浆中内源性杂质分离度好,伏立康唑浓度在27.35~3 500 ng.mL-1与峰面积比线性良好,最低定量浓度为27.35ng.mL-1。蛋白沉淀绝对回收率为86.2%~88.8%,相对回收率为97.9%~105.7%,日内精密度（RSD）〈9.8%,日间精密度（RSD）〈9.4%。单剂量口服伏立康唑分散片T和伏立康唑片R 0.2 g后2种制剂的Cmax为（717.9±325.1）、（671.8±243.3）μg.L-1;tmax为（1.1±0.5）、（1.1±0.4）h;AUC0~24为（3 729.1±1 887.7）、（3 811.2±1 836.6）μg.h.L-1;t1/2为（6.7±1.9）、（6.7±1.7）h。与R相比,T制剂相对生物利用度为（97.3±13.0）%。结论该方法简单快速,灵敏度高,可用于伏立康唑的体内过程研究。方差分析表明伏立康唑分散片T与伏立康唑片R中伏立康唑的主要药动学参数之间均无明显差异,双单侧t检验结果表明两制剂为生物等效制剂。     

Anidulafungin and voriconazole in invasive fungal disease: pharmacological data and their use in combination

The incidence of invasive fungal infections has been increasing since the 1980s due to a growing population of immunocompromised and critically ill patients with associated risk factors including immunosuppressive chemotherapy, prolonged periods on intensive care units and infection with HIV. Persons who are severely immunocompromised are particularly vulnerable to infection from molds and yeasts that are often found naturally in the environment. In recent years, several new systemic antifungal agents have been released, significantly increasing options for the treatment of the most serious fungal infections. Newly available drugs as those in the echinocandin class include caspofungin, micafungin and anidulafungin, as well as the newer generation triazoles, voriconazole and posaconazole. In this review, the in vitro and in vivo activity of anidulafungin and voriconazole, both new antimycotic substances with a different mode of action, are analyzed.     

In vitro activities of voriconazole (UK-109, 496), fluconazole, itraconazole and amphotericin B against 132 non-albicans bloodstream yeast isolates (CANARI study)

The aim was to evaluate the in vitro activity of voriconazole compared with those of amphotericin B, itraconazole and fluconazole against 132 bloodstream isolates of Candida non-albicans and Saccharomyces cerevisiae species. The minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) were determined by an adapted National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards (NCCLS) M27-A method using RPMI 1640 as test medium supplemented with 2% glucose. MIC end-points were determined with a spectrophotometer after incubation for 48 h at 35 degrees C. Optical density data were used for the calculation of the MIC end-points. For amphotericin B, the end-point was defined as the minimal antifungal concentration that exerts 90% inhibition compared with the control well growth. For the azoles, the end-points were determined at 50% inhibition of growth. Amphotericin B is highly active with 97% of isolates inhibited by < or =1 microg ml(-1). Decreased susceptibility or resistance to fluconazole was the rule among C. krusei, which is intrinsically resistant to fluconazole. For C. glabrata isolates, resistance to fluconazole and itraconazole was measured in 13% and 17% of the isolates respectively. Voriconazole was quite active in vitro against all the isolates with a MIC90% of < or =1 microg ml(-1) and we conclude that it may be useful in the treatment of non-albicans bloodstream infections.     

伏立康唑相关肝损伤的真实世界研究

目的：研究真实世界伏立康唑相关肝损伤的发生情况和危险因素,为临床安全用药提供参考。方法：通过信息系统提取武汉市第一医院2019年1月—2020年12月使用伏立康唑的出院患者病历,根据《药物性肝损伤诊治指南（2015年版）》对伏立康唑相关肝损伤进行回顾性分析,使用Roussel Uclaf因果关系评估法（RUCAM）评估因果关系,以国际医学组织理事会（CIOMS）的判断标准进行临床分型并进行严重程度分级,最后对发生药物性肝损伤的相关危险因素进行分析。结果：共纳入266例患者,肝损伤发生率为8.3%,多发生于用药14 d内,以肝细胞损伤型（50.0%）多见,轻、中度肝损伤占95.5%。二元Logistic回归分析显示伏立康唑谷浓度越高,肝损伤的风险越高,具有统计学意义（OR=1.607,95% CI：1.168~2.210,P=0.004）,且血清白蛋白水平降低可增加伏立康唑相关肝损伤发生风险,具有统计学意义（OR=0.857,95% CI：0.754~0.975,P=0.019）。结论：伏立康唑用药期间需监护患者肝功能和血药浓度,特别是用药的前14 d和低蛋白血症患者。     

Impact of collagen-induced arthritis on the pharmacokinetic disposition of voriconazole,a widely used antifungal agent: in vitro and in vivo investigations in DBA/1J mice

1. Pharmacokinetics of voriconazole, an anti-fungal agent, was determined in collagen-induced arthritic (CIA) and healthy DBA/1J mice. CIA was confirmed in DBA/1J mice by clinical scoring and histological analysis.

2. In vivo oral pharmacokinetic study (3?mg/kg) and in vitro stability assessment in liver microsomes were performed in CIA vs. healthy DBA/1J mice. Additionally, hepatic portal vein cannulated (HPVC) CIA and healthy mice were used to clarify the role of gut first-pass effect. Voriconazole/N-oxide metabolite was measured in plasma and in vitro samples using liquid chromatography tandem-mass spectrometry method.

3. Voriconazole exposure was reduced in CIA by 27% as compared to healthy mice. Formation of voriconazole N-oxide was higher in CIA mice as evidenced by higher molar C_max ratio (i.e. metabolite/parent) of 2.08 vs. 1.66 in healthy mice. Because voriconazole was stable in microsomes, involvement of presystemic gut metabolism was suspected for decreased voriconazole exposure and formation of higher molar ratio of metabolite. HPVC work revealed higher formation of voriconazole N-oxide in CIA relative to healthy mice resulting in C_max/AUC ratios of 0.41/0.54 and 0.08/0.17, respectively, confirming first-pass effect.

4. The findings may have implications in the clinical therapy of arthritis patients who are concomitantly given voriconazole for the management of fungal infections.