Population pharmacokinetics of atorvastatin, simvastatin and pravastatin after oral administration in humans

The purpose of this study is to determine the population pharmacokinetics of 3 statins after oral dosing. This was achieved by simultaneous data fitting of 101 different individuals from three studies: 25 subjects for pravastatin, 40 subjects for simvastatin and 36 subjects for atorvastatin. Each study was fitted separately. Plasma profiles were best characterized by 1 -compartment model for pravastatin, 2-compartment model for simvastatin, and 3 -compartment model for atorvastatin. The criteria used for model building involved the examination of the fitted cuves, the improvement in objective function and statistical tests: Akaike test, Schwarz test and log likelihood test; and examining the improvement in residual plots. The elimination rate constant and clearance values for pravastatin is higher than simvastatin and higher than atorvastatin which is in agreement with models used. The variability, as indicated by population coefficient of variation, is generally higher than 30% rendering them highly variable drugs

Trend of Low Serum Vitamin B[12] in Jordanian Adults from Two Ethnic Groups in Amman

To investigate the prevalence of vitamin B[12] deficiency in Jordanian adults from two ethnic groups in Amman. The plasma B[12] level was measured in 290 subjects [124 men, 166 women, aged 16-72] from two ethnic groups; Circassians and Arabs. These participants were recruited by simple random sampling from both communities from June 2004 to March 2005. The prevalence of vitamin B[12] deficiency [B[12] level lower than 200 pg/ ml] was 50.8 and 46.9% in Arab and Circassians, respectively. No significant differences in the plasma B[12] level were found between the different age groups in Arabs and Circassians and between the same age groups of the two populations. One notable exception was the subjects who are older than 60 years in Circassians. Their plasma B[12] levels were significantly lower than those in the other age groups in Circassians and the same age group in Arab [P<0.05]. There were differences in the plasma B[12] level according to gender; the plasma B[12] levels for men were lower than those obtained for women in both groups. This difference was significant [P<0.001] for Arab population. Compared to Circassian men, the plasma B[12] levels of Arab men were also significantly lower [P< 0.001]. The plasma B[12] level was significantly lower in smokers compared to non-smokers in both groups [P<0.005]. The current study demonstrates the high prevalence of suboptimal cobalamin levels in Jordanian subjects living in Amman, and it shows that there are no differences in the prevalence as related to the two ethnic groups studied