Population pharmacokinetics and dose optimization of levofloxacin in elderly patients with pneumonia.

AIMS: Levofloxacin is a quinolone antibiotic with a broad antibacterial spectrum. It is frequently used in elderly patients with pneumonia. The pharmacokinetic profile of elderly patients changes with age, but data on the pharmacokinetics of levofloxacin in these patients are limited. The aim of this study was to establish a population pharmacokinetic model of levofloxacin in elderly patients with pneumonia and to optimize individualized dosing regimens based on this newly developed model. METHODS: This is a prospective, open-label pharmacokinetic study in elderly patients with pneumonia. Blood samples were collected using an opportunistic approach. The plasma concentrations of levofloxacin were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography. A population pharmacokinetic model was established using nonlinear mixed-effect model software. Monte Carlo simulations were used for dose simulation and dose optimization. RESULTS: Data from 51 elderly patients with pneumonia were used for the population pharmacokinetic analysis. A one-compartment model with first-order elimination was most suitable for describing the data, and the estimated glomerular filtration rate was the only covariate that had a significant impact on the model. The final model estimated that the mean clearance of levofloxacin in elderly patients with pneumonia was 5.26 L/h. Monte Carlo simulation results showed that the optimal dosing regimen for levofloxacin was 750 mg once a day in elderly patients with pneumonia, with a minimum inhibitory concentration of 2 mg/L. CONCLUSIONS: The population pharmacokinetic model of levofloxacin in elderly patients with pneumonia was established, and the dose optimization of levofloxacin was completed through Monte Carlo simulation.

Association between hypertensive disorders complicating pregnancy and risk of placenta accreta: a meta-analysis and systematic review.

OBJECTIVE: Previous studies have reported a positive association between hypertensive disorders complicating pregnancy and placenta accreta. However, whether hypertensive disorders complicating pregnancy associated with placenta accreta is still not clear. The objective was to systematically review the literature to determine a possible association between hypertensive disorders complicating pregnancy and placenta accreta. METHODS: A systematic search of PubMed database, the Cochrane Library, Willy Online Library, and ScienceDirect database through 1st December 2015, was conducted. Two authors independently assessed data extraction and quality of the studies using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Assessment of heterogeneity and analysis of data were operated by Review Manager 5.3.0. RESULTS: Three studies involving 4174 patients who developed hypertensive disorders complicating pregnancy of a total of 38,004 pregnant women were selected. The result of our meta-analysis revealed that pregnancy induced hypertension was significantly associated with a reduction of placenta accreta (OR = 0.50, 95% CI: 0.30-0.82; heterogeneity: I2 = 13%, p = 0.32). CONCLUSIONS: Our meta-analysis demonstrated that the risk of placenta accreta is reduced in women with hypertensive disorders complicating pregnancy. Further well-designed studies are warranted to testify the result and explored any potential mechanism association between hypertensive disorders complicating pregnancy and placenta accreta.

Infective meningitis caused by Phialemonium curvatum.

Infections caused by rarely encountered fungal pathogens have increased in recent decades. Phialemonium species are widely distributed in the environment and are also involved in human infections, affecting both immunocompromised and immunocompetent patients. The present study describes a case of meningitis caused by Phialemonium curvatum.