Pharmacokinetics and Safety of Ofloxacin in Children with Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis

ABSTRACTOfloxacin is widely used for the treatment of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB). Data on its pharmacokinetics and safety in children are limited. It is not known whether the current internationally recommended pediatric dosage of 15 to 20 mg/kg of body weight achieves exposures reached in adults with tuberculosis after a standard 800-mg dose (adult median area under the concentration-time curve from 0 to 24 h [AUC0–24], 103 μg · h/ml). We assessed the pharmacokinetics and safety of ofloxacin in children <15 years old routinely receiving ofloxacin for MDR-TB treatment or preventive therapy. Plasma samples were collected predose and at 1, 2, 4, 8, and either 6 or 11 h after a 20-mg/kg dose. Pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated using noncompartmental analysis. Children with MDR-TB disease underwent long-term safety monitoring. Of 85 children (median age, 3.4 years), 11 (13%) were HIV infected, and of 79 children with evaluable data, 14 (18%) were underweight. The ofloxacin mean (range) maximum concentration (Cmax), AUC0–8, and half-life were 8.97 μg/ml (2.47 to 14.4), 44.2 μg · h/ml (12.1 to 75.8), and 3.49 h (1.89 to 6.95), respectively. The mean AUC0–24, estimated in 72 participants, was 66.7 μg · h/ml (range, 18.8 to 120.7). In multivariable analysis, AUC0–24was increased by 1.46 μg · h/ml for each 1-kg increase in body weight (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.44 to 2.47;P= 0.006); no other assessed variable contributed to the model. No grade 3 or 4 events at least possibly attributed to ofloxacin were observed. Ofloxacin was safe and well tolerated in children with MDR-TB, but exposures were well below reported adult values, suggesting that dosage modification may be required to optimize MDR-TB treatment regimens in children.

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Multidisciplinary advisory teams to manage multidrug-resistant tuberculosis: the example of the French Consilium

The International Journal of Tuberculosis and Lung Disease ◽

10.5588/ijtld.18.0779 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 23 (10) ◽

pp. 1050-1054

Author(s):

L. Guglielmetti ◽

J. Jaffré ◽

C. Bernard ◽

F. Brossier ◽

N. El Helali ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Multidrug Resistant ◽

New Drugs ◽

World Health ◽

Advisory Committees ◽

Treatment Regimens ◽

Tb Treatment ◽

Resistant Tuberculosis ◽

Multidrug Resistant Tuberculosis ◽

Mdr Tb ◽

Health Organization

SETTING: The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) treatment should be managed in collaboration with multidisciplinary advisory committees (consilia). A formal national Consilium has been established in France since 2005 to provide a centralised advisory service for clinicians managing MDR-TB and extensively drug-resistant (XDR-TB) cases.OBJECTIVE: Review the activity of the French TB Consilium since its establishment.DESIGN: Retrospective description and analysis of the activity of the French TB Consilium.RESULTS: Between 2005 and 2016, 786 TB cases or contacts of TB cases were presented at the French TB Consilium, including respectively 42% and 79% of all the MDR-TB and XDR-TB cases notified in France during this period. Treatment regimens including bedaquiline and/or delamanid were recommended for 42% of the cases presented at the French TB Consilium since 2009. Patients were more likely to be presented at the French TB Consilium if they were born in the WHO Europe Region, had XDR-TB, were diagnosed in the Paris region, or had resistance to additional drugs than those defining XDR-TB.CONCLUSION: The French TB Consilium helped supervise appropriate management of MDR/XDR-TB cases and facilitated implementation of new drugs for MDR/XDR-TB treatment.

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Assessing the impacts of short-course multidrug-resistant tuberculosis treatment in the Southeast Asia Region using a mathematical modeling approach

PLoS ONE ◽

10.1371/journal.pone.0248846 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 16 (3) ◽

pp. e0248846

Author(s):

Win Min Han ◽

Wiriya Mahikul ◽

Thomas Pouplin ◽

Saranath Lawpoolsri ◽

Lisa J. White ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Southeast Asia ◽

Treatment Initiation ◽

Multidrug Resistant ◽

Treatment Regimens ◽

Tb Treatment ◽

Resistant Tuberculosis ◽

Multidrug Resistant Tuberculosis ◽

Short Course ◽

Mdr Tb ◽

The Impact

This study aimed to predict the impacts of shorter duration treatment regimens for multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) on both MDR-TB percentage among new cases and overall MDR-TB cases in the WHO Southeast Asia Region. A deterministic compartmental model was constructed to describe both the transmission of TB and the MDR-TB situation in the Southeast Asia region. The population-level impacts of short-course treatment regimens were compared with the impacts of conventional regimens. Multi-way analysis was used to evaluate the impact by varying programmatic factors (eligibility for short-course MDR-TB treatment, treatment initiation, and drug susceptibility test (DST) coverage). The model predicted that overall TB incidence will be reduced from 246 (95% credible intervals (CrI), 221–275) per 100,000 population in 2020 to 239 (95% CrI, 215–267) per 100,000 population in 2035, with a modest reduction of 2.8% (95% CrI, 2.7%–2.9%). Despite the slight reduction in overall TB infections, the model predicted that the MDR-TB percentage among newly notified TB infections will remain steady, with 2.4% (95% CrI, 2.1–2.9) in 2020 and 2.5% (95% CrI, 2.3–3.1) in 2035, using conventional MDR-TB treatment. With the introduction of short-course regimens to treat MDR-TB, the development of resistance can be slowed by 38.6% (95% confidence intervals (CI), 35.9–41.3) reduction in MDR-TB case number, and 37.6% (95% CI, 34.9–40.3) reduction in MDR-TB percentage among new TB infections over the 30-year period compared with the baseline using the standard treatment regimen. The multi-way analysis showed eligibility for short-course treatment and treatment initiation greatly influenced the impacts of short-course treatment regimens on reductions in MDR-TB cases and percentage resistance among new infections. Policies which promote the expansion of short-course regimens and early MDR-TB treatment initiation should be considered along with other interventions to tackle antimicrobial resistance in the region.

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Active surveillance for adverse events in patients on longer treatment regimens for multidrug-resistant tuberculosis in Viet Nam

PLoS ONE ◽

10.1371/journal.pone.0255357 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 16 (9) ◽

pp. e0255357

Author(s):

Nguyen Bao Ngoc ◽

Hoa Vu Dinh ◽

Nguyen Thi Thuy ◽

Duong Van Quang ◽

Cao Thi Thu Huyen ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Adverse Events ◽

Bayesian Model Averaging ◽

Multidrug Resistant ◽

Treatment Regimens ◽

Tb Treatment ◽

Resistant Tuberculosis ◽

Multidrug Resistant Tuberculosis ◽

Mdr Tb

Objective Management of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) is a significant challenge to the global healthcare system due to the complexity and long duration of the MDR-TB treatment. This study analyzed the safety of patients on longer injectable-based MDR-TB treatment regimens using active pharmacovigilance data. Method We conducted an observational, prospective study based on active pharmacovigilance within the national TB program. A total of 659 MDR-TB patients were enrolled and followed up at 9 TB- hospitals in 9 provinces of all 3 regions in Vietnam between 2014 and 2016. Patients received a treatment regimen (standardized or individualized) based on their drug susceptibility test result and their treatment history. Baseline and follow-up information was collected at the start and during treatment. Adverse events (AE) were defined and classified as serious adverse events (SAEs) or otherwise. Multivariate Cox regression following the Iterative Bayesian Model Averaging algorithm was performed to identify factors associated with AE occurrence. Results Out of 659 patients assessed, 71.3% experienced at least one AE, and 17.5% suffered at least one SAE. The most common AEs were gastrointestinal disorders (38.5%), arthralgia (34.7%), and psychiatric disorders (30.0%). The proportion of patients with nephrotoxicity and hearing loss or vestibular disorders were 7.4% and 15.2%, respectively. 13.1% of patients required modifications or interruption of one or more drugs. In 77.7% of patients, treatment was completed successfully, while 9.3% lost to follow-up, in 3.0% treatment failed, and 7.4% died. Some significant risk factors for nephrotoxicity included diabetes mellitus (HR = 8.46 [1.91–37.42]), renal dysfunction (HR = 8.46 [1.91–37.42]), alcoholism (HR = 13.28 [5.04–34.99]), and a higher average daily dose of injectable drugs (HR = 1.28 [1.14–1.43]). Conclusion While a majority of patients on the longer injectable-based regimens experienced non-serious AEs during MDR-TB treatment, one in six patients experienced at least an SAE. Active TB drug-safety monitoring is useful to understand the safety of MDR-TB treatment and explore the risk factors for toxicity. All-oral, shorter MDR-TB regimens might be able to reduce the inconvenience, discomfort, and toxicity of such regimens and increase adherence and likelihood of successful completion.

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Pharmacokinetics and Drug-Drug Interactions of Lopinavir-Ritonavir Administered with First- and Second-Line Antituberculosis Drugs in HIV-Infected Children Treated for Multidrug-Resistant Tuberculosis

Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy ◽

10.1128/aac.00420-17 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 62 (2) ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Louvina E. van der Laan ◽

Anthony J. Garcia-Prats ◽

H. Simon Schaaf ◽

Tjokosela Tikiso ◽

Lubbe Wiesner ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Drug Interactions ◽

Multidrug Resistant ◽

Inhibitory Effect ◽

Pharmacokinetic Parameters ◽

Population Pharmacokinetic ◽

High Dose ◽

Large Variability ◽

Tb Treatment ◽

Resistant Tuberculosis ◽

Mdr Tb

ABSTRACT Lopinavir-ritonavir forms the backbone of current first-line antiretroviral regimens in young HIV-infected children. As multidrug-resistant (MDR) tuberculosis (TB) frequently occurs in young children in high-burden TB settings, it is important to identify potential interactions between MDR-TB treatment and lopinavir-ritonavir. We describe the pharmacokinetics of and potential drug-drug interactions between lopinavir-ritonavir and drugs routinely used for MDR-TB treatment in HIV-infected children. A combined population pharmacokinetic model was developed to jointly describe the pharmacokinetics of lopinavir and ritonavir in 32 HIV-infected children (16 with MDR-TB receiving treatment with combinations of high-dose isoniazid, pyrazinamide, ethambutol, ethionamide, terizidone, a fluoroquinolone, and amikacin and 16 without TB) who were established on a lopinavir-ritonavir-containing antiretroviral regimen. One-compartment models with first-order absorption and elimination for both lopinavir and ritonavir were combined into an integrated model. The dynamic inhibitory effect of the ritonavir concentration on lopinavir clearance was described using a maximum inhibition model. Even after adjustment for the effect of body weight with allometric scaling, a large variability in lopinavir and ritonavir exposure, together with strong correlations between the pharmacokinetic parameters of lopinavir and ritonavir, was detected. MDR-TB treatment did not have a significant effect on the bioavailability, clearance, or absorption rate constants of lopinavir or ritonavir. Most children (81% of children with MDR-TB, 88% of controls) achieved therapeutic lopinavir trough concentrations (>1 mg/liter). The coadministration of lopinavir-ritonavir with drugs routinely used for the treatment of MDR-TB was found to have no significant effect on the key pharmacokinetic parameters of lopinavir or ritonavir. These findings should be considered in the context of the large interpatient variability found in the present study and the study's modest sample size.

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Impact of bedaquiline on treatment outcomes of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis in a high-burden country

European Respiratory Journal ◽

10.1183/13993003.02544-2020 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 2002544

Author(s):

Dumitru Chesov ◽

Jan Heyckendorf ◽

Sofia Alexandru ◽

Ana Donica ◽

Elena Chesov ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Propensity Score ◽

Treatment Outcomes ◽

Multidrug Resistant ◽

High Burden ◽

Republic Of Moldova ◽

Treatment Regimens ◽

Tb Treatment ◽

Resistant Tuberculosis ◽

Mdr Tb ◽

The Republic

Evaluation of novel anti-tuberculosis (TB) medicines for the treatment of multidrug-resistant (MDR)-TB continues to be of high interest on the TB research agenda. We assessed treatment outcomes in patients with pulmonary MDR-TB who received bedaquiline containing treatment regimens in the Republic of Moldova, a high-burden country of MDR-TB.MethodWe systematically analysed the “SIMETB” national electronic TB database in the Republic of Moldova and performed a retrospective propensity score matched comparison of treatment outcomes in a cohort of patients with MDR-TB who started treatment during 2016–2018 with a bedaquiline-containing regimen (bedaquiline cohort) and a cohort of patients treated without bedaquiline (non-bedaquiline cohort).ResultsFollowing propensity score matching, 114 patients were assigned to each cohort of MDR-TB patients. Patients in the bedaquiline cohort had a higher 6 month sputum culture conversion rate than those in the non-bedaquiline cohort, (66.7% versus 40.3%, p<0.001). Patients under bedaquiline containing regimens had a higher cure rate assessed by both WHO and TBNET definitions (55.3% versus 24.6%, p=0.001 and 43.5% versus 19.6% p=0.004, correspondingly), as well, a lower mortality rate (8.8% versus 20.2%, p<0.001, by WHO and 10.9% versus 25.2%, p=0.01, by TBNET). In patients who previously failed on MDR-TB treatment, more than 40% of patients achieved cure with a bedaquiline-containing regimen.ConclusionsBedaquiline-based MDR-TB treatment regimens result in better disease resolution when compared to bedaquiline-sparing MDR-TB treatment regimens under programmatic conditions in a country with a high-burden of MDR-TB.

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Evaluation of Saliva as a Potential Alternative Sampling Matrix for Therapeutic Drug Monitoring of Levofloxacin in Patients with Multidrug-Resistant Tuberculosis

Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy ◽

10.1128/aac.02379-18 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 63 (5) ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Samiksha Ghimire ◽

Bhagwan Maharjan ◽

Erwin M. Jongedijk ◽

Jos G. W. Kosterink ◽

Gokarna R. Ghimire ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Therapeutic Drug Monitoring ◽

Drug Monitoring ◽

Multidrug Resistant ◽

Pharmacokinetic Parameters ◽

Therapeutic Drug ◽

Time Curve ◽

Resistant Tuberculosis ◽

Multidrug Resistant Tuberculosis ◽

Liquid Chromatography Tandem Mass ◽

Mdr Tb

ABSTRACT Saliva may be a useful alternative matrix for monitoring levofloxacin concentrations in multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) patients. The objectives of this study were (i) to evaluate the correlation between plasma and salivary levofloxacin (Lfx) concentrations in MDR-TB patients and (ii) to gauge the possibility of using saliva as an alternative sampling matrix for therapeutic drug monitoring of Lfx in areas where TB is endemic. This was a prospective pharmacokinetic study that enrolled MDR-TB patients receiving levofloxacin (750- to 1,000-mg once-daily dosing) under standardized treatment regimen in Nepal. Paired blood and saliva samples were collected at steady state. Lfx concentrations were quantified using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated using noncompartmental kinetics. Lfx drug exposures were evaluated in 23 MDR-TB patients. During the first month, the median (interquartile range [IQR]) areas under the concentration-time curve from 0 to 24 h (AUC0–24) were 67.09 (53.93 to 98.37) mg ⋅ h/liter in saliva and 99.91 (76.80 to 129.70) mg ⋅ h/liter in plasma, and the saliva plasma (S/P) ratio was 0.69 (0.53 to 0.99). Similarly, during the second month, the median (IQR) AUC0–24 were 75.63 (61.45 to 125.5) mg ⋅ h/liter in saliva and 102.7 (84.46 to 131.9) mg ⋅ h/liter in plasma, with an S/P ratio of 0.73 (0.66 to 1.18). Furthermore, large inter- and intraindividual variabilities in Lfx concentrations were observed. This study could not demonstrate a strong correlation between plasma and saliva Lfx levels. Despite a good Lfx penetration in saliva, the variability in individual saliva-to-plasma ratios limits the use of saliva as a valid substitute for plasma. Nevertheless, saliva could be useful in semiquantitatively predicting Lfx plasma levels. (This study has been registered at ClinicalTrials.gov under identifier NCT03000517.)

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Deploying a novel tuberculosis molecular bacterial load assay to assess the elimination rate of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in patients with multidrug-resistant tuberculosis in Tanzania

10.1101/2020.09.02.280511 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Peter M. Mbelele ◽

Emmanuel A. Mpolya ◽

Elingarami Sauli ◽

Bariki Mtafya ◽

Nyanda E. Ntinginya ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Repeated Measures ◽

Bacterial Load ◽

Elimination Rate ◽

Multidrug Resistant ◽

Treatment Regimens ◽

Mixed Effects Modeling ◽

Tb Treatment ◽

Resistant Tuberculosis ◽

Multidrug Resistant Tuberculosis ◽

Mdr Tb

AbstractBackgroundRifampin or multidrug-resistant-tuberculosis (RR/MDR-TB) treatment has transitioned to injectable-free regimens. We tested whether M. tuberculosis (Mtb) elimination rates measured by molecular bacterial load assay (TB-MBLA) in sputa correlate with composition of the RR/MDR-TB antibiotic regimen.MethodsSerial sputa were collected from patients with RR/MDR- and drug-sensitive TB at day 0, 3, 7, 14, and then monthly for 4 months of anti-TB treatment. TB-MBLA was used to quantify viable Mtb 16S rRNA in sputum for estimation of colony-forming-unit per mL (eCFU/mL). Mtb elimination rates were compared among regimens using nonlinear-mixed-effects modeling of repeated measures.ResultsAmong 37 patients with a total of 296 serial sputa; 7 patients received rifampin/isoniazid/pyrazinamide/ethambutol (RHZE), 8 an all-oral bedaquiline-based regimen, 9 an injectable and bedaquiline-containing regimen, and 13 an injectable-containing but bedaquiline-free regimen. The overall mean daily Mtb elimination was −0.24 [95% Confidence-Interval (CI); −0.39 to −0.08)] log10 eCFU/mL, and it varied with treatment-regimen (p < 0.001). Compared to the adjusted Mtb elimination of −0.17 (95% CI; −0.23 to −0.12) for the injectable-containing but bedaquiline-free reference regimen, the elimination rates were −0.62 (95% CI; −1.05 to −0.20) log10 eCFU/mL for the injectable and bedaquiline-containing regimen (p = 0.019), −0.35 (95% CI; −0.65 to −0.13) log10 eCFU/mL for the all-oral bedaquiline-based regimen (p = 0.054), and −0.29 (95% CI; −0.78 to +0.22) log10 eCFU/mL for RHZE (p = 0.332)ConclusionTB-MBLA distinguished Mtb elimination rates in sputa from patients receiving different treatment regimens, suggesting a reliable monitoring tool for RR/MDR-TB, that does not require mycobacterial culture.

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Genetic characterization of N-acetyltransferase 2 variants in acquired multidrug-resistant tuberculosis in Indonesia

Pharmacogenomics ◽

10.2217/pgs-2020-0163 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Rika Yuliwulandari ◽

Kinasih Prayuni ◽

Intan Razari ◽

Retno W Susilowati ◽

Yenni Zulhamidah ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Multidrug Resistant ◽

Resistance Rate ◽

Published Data ◽

Drug Induced ◽

Tb Treatment ◽

Resistant Tuberculosis ◽

Multidrug Resistant Tuberculosis ◽

Appropriate Treatment ◽

Acetylator Status ◽

Mdr Tb

Background: Owing to the high resistance rate of tuberculosis (TB) to isoniazid, which is metabolized by N-acetyltransferase 2 (NAT2), we investigated the associations between NAT2 variants and multidrug-resistant (MDR)-TB. Materials & methods: The acetylator status based on NAT2 haplotypes of 128 patients with MDR-TB in Indonesia were compared with our published data from patients with anti-TB drug-induced liver injury (AT-DILI), TB and the general population. Results: NAT2*4 was more frequent in the MDR-TB group than in the AT-DILI group, TB controls and general controls. NAT2*4/*4 was significantly more frequent in patients with MDR-TB than in those with AT-DILI. NAT2*5B/7B, *6A/6A and *7B/*7B were detected at lower frequencies in patients with AT-DILI. Rapid acetylators were significantly more frequent in patients with MDR-TB than in those with AT-DILI. Conclusion: These results provide an initial data for optimizing TB treatment in the Indonesian population, and suggest that NAT2 genotyping may help to select appropriate treatment by predicting TB-treatment effect.

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Prevalence and Molecular Characterization of Second-Line Drugs Resistance among Multidrug-ResistantMycobacterium tuberculosisIsolates in Southwest of China

BioMed Research International ◽

10.1155/2017/4563826 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 2017 ◽

pp. 1-9 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Y. Hu ◽

L. Xu ◽

Y. L. He ◽

Y. Pang ◽

N. Lu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Gene Mutations ◽

Multidrug Resistant ◽

Rapid Screening ◽

Second Line ◽

Tb Treatment ◽

Resistant Tuberculosis ◽

Multidrug Resistant Tuberculosis ◽

Improper Use ◽

Mdr Tb

This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) isolates resistant to the second-line antituberculosis drugs (SLDs) and its association with resistant-related gene mutations inMycobacterium tuberculosis(M.tb) isolates from Southwest of China. There were 81 isolates resistant to at least one of the SLDs among 156 MDR-TB isolates (81/156, 51.9%). The rates of general resistance to each of the drugs were as follows: OFX (66/156, 42.3%), KAN (26/156, 16.7%), CAP (13/156, 8.3%), PTO (11/156, 7.1%), PAS (22/156, 14.1%), and AMK (20/156, 12.8%). Therefore, the most predominant pattern was resistant to OFX compared with other SLDs (P<0.001). The results of sequencing showed that 80.2% OFX-resistant MDR-TB isolates containedgyrAmutation and 88.5% KAN-resistant isolates hadrrsmutations with the most frequent mutation being A1401G. These results suggest that improper use of SLDs especially OFX is a real threat to effective MDR-TB treatment not only in China but also in the whole world. Furthermore the tuberculosis control agencies should carry out SLDs susceptibility testing and rapid screening in a broader population of TB patients immediately and the SLDs should be strictly regulated by the administration in order to maintain their efficacy to treat MDR-TB.

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Pharmacokinetics of Second-Line Antituberculosis Drugs in Children with Multidrug-Resistant Tuberculosis in India

Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy ◽

10.1128/aac.02410-17 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 62 (5) ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Agibothu Kupparam Hemanth Kumar ◽

Alok Kumar ◽

Thiruvengadam Kannan ◽

Rakesh Bhatia ◽

Dipti Agarwal ◽

...

Keyword(s):

High Performance ◽

Linear Regression Analysis ◽

Multidrug Resistant ◽

Control Programme ◽

Second Line ◽

Time Curve ◽

Resistant Tuberculosis ◽

Multidrug Resistant Tuberculosis ◽

Mdr Tb ◽

The Government

ABSTRACTWe studied the pharmacokinetics of levofloxacin (LFX), pyrazinamide (PZA), ethionamide (ETH), and cycloserine (CS) in children with multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) who were being treated according to the Revised National TB Control Programme (RNTCP) guidelines in India. This observational, pharmacokinetic study was conducted in 25 children with MDR-TB at the Sarojini Naidu Medical College, Agra, India, who were being treated with a 24-month daily regimen. Serial blood samples were collected after directly observed administration of drugs. Estimations of plasma LFX, PZA, ETH, and CS were undertaken according to validated methods by high-performance liquid chromatography. Adverse events were noted at 6 months of treatment. The peak concentration (Cmax) of LFX was significantly higher in female than male children (11.5 μg/ml versus 7.3 μg/ml;P= 0.017). Children below 12 years of age had significantly higher ETH exposure (area under the concentration-time curve from 0 to 8 h [AUC0–8]) than those above 12 years of age (17.5 μg/ml · h versus 9.4 μg/ml;P= 0.030). Multiple linear regression analysis showed significant influence of gender onCmaxof ETH and age onCmaxand AUC0–8of CS. This is the first and only study from India reporting on the pharmacokinetics of LFX, ETH, PZA, and CS in children with MDR-TB treated in the Government of India program. More studies on the safety and pharmacokinetics of second-line anti-TB drugs in children with MDR-TB from different settings are required.

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