The Journal of antimicrobial chemotherapy
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J. Antimicrob. Chemother. · Oct 2014
Population pharmacokinetics and dosing simulations of cefuroxime in critically ill patients: non-standard dosing approaches are required to achieve therapeutic exposures.
To investigate the population pharmacokinetics of cefuroxime in critically ill patients. ⋯ Administration of standard doses by intermittent bolus is likely to result in underdosing for many critically ill patients. Continuous infusion of higher than normal doses after a loading dose is more likely to achieve pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic targets. However, even continuous infusion of high doses (up to 9 g per day) does not guarantee adequate levels for all patients with a CL(CR) of ≥300 mL/min if the MIC is 8 mg/L.
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J. Antimicrob. Chemother. · Oct 2014
Antimicrobial activity of ceftolozane/tazobactam tested against Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Enterobacteriaceae with various resistance patterns isolated in European hospitals (2011-12).
To evaluate the in vitro activity of ceftolozane/tazobactam and comparator agents tested against contemporary Gram-negative bacteria. Ceftolozane/tazobactam is an antipseudomonal cephalosporin combined with a well-established β-lactamase inhibitor. ⋯ Ceftolozane/tazobactam was the most active β-lactam agent tested against P. aeruginosa and demonstrated higher in vitro activity than currently available cephalosporins and piperacillin/tazobactam when tested against Enterobacteriaceae.
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J. Antimicrob. Chemother. · Sep 2014
ReviewBedaquiline: a review of human pharmacokinetics and drug-drug interactions.
Bedaquiline has recently been approved for the treatment of pulmonary multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (TB) as part of combination therapy in adults. It is metabolized primarily by the cytochrome P450 isoenzyme 3A4 (CYP3A4) to a less-active N-monodesmethyl metabolite. ⋯ Potential interactions have been assessed between bedaquiline and first- and second-line anti-TB drugs (rifampicin, rifapentine, isoniazid, pyrazinamide, ethambutol, kanamycin, ofloxacin and cycloserine), commonly used antiretroviral agents (lopinavir/ritonavir, nevirapine and efavirenz) and a potent CYP3A inhibitor (ketoconazole). This review summarizes the pharmacokinetic profile of bedaquiline as well as the results of the drug-drug interaction studies.
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J. Antimicrob. Chemother. · Sep 2014
ReviewViruses versus bacteria-novel approaches to phage therapy as a tool against multidrug-resistant pathogens.
Bacteriophage therapy (the application of phages to treat bacterial infections) has a tradition dating back almost a century, but interest in phage therapy slowed down in the West when antibiotics were discovered. With the emerging threat of infections caused by multidrug-resistant bacteria and scarce prospects of newly introduced antibiotics in the future, phages are currently being reconsidered as alternative therapeutics. Conventional phage therapy uses lytic bacteriophages for treatment and recent human clinical trials have revealed encouraging results. ⋯ The use of enzymes derived from phages, such as endolysin, as therapeutic agents has been efficient in the elimination of Gram-positive pathogens. This review presents novel strategies for phage-related therapies and describes our current knowledge of natural bacteriophages within the human microbiome. Our aim is to provide an overview of the high number of different methodological concepts, thereby encouraging further research on this topic, with the ultimate goal of using phages as therapeutic or preventative medicines in daily clinical practice.
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J. Antimicrob. Chemother. · Sep 2014
An investigation of the potential association between retinal detachment and oral fluoroquinolones: a self-controlled case series study.
A study reported a significant association between oral fluoroquinolones and the development of retinal detachment among current users of oral fluoroquinolones (Etminan M, Forooghian F, Brophy JM et al. JAMA 2012; 307: 1414-9). However, other published studies have discordant results. This study aimed to investigate this association and to estimate the absolute risk of developing retinal detachment in patients exposed to oral fluoroquinolones. ⋯ Our study does not support the association between the use of fluoroquinolones and the development of retinal detachment and our findings are strikingly similar to that of the study conducted in Denmark. Doubt is cast on the association between the use of fluoroquinolones and the development of retinal detachment. Therefore, the use of fluoroquinolones should not be precluded based on the current evidence on the risk of retinal detachment. The impact of different ethnicities on the response to fluoroquinolones should also be investigated.