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In this review, the in vitro cellular effects of six nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), salicylate, ibuprofen, naproxen, indomethacin, celecoxib and diclofenac, are examined. Inhibition of prostanoid synthesis in vitro generally occurs within the therapeutic range of plasma concentrations that are observed in vivo, consistent with the major action of NSAIDs being inhibition of prostanoid production. An additional probable cellular action of NSAIDs has been discovered recently, viz. decreased oxidation of the endocannabinoids, 2-arachidonoyl glycerol and arachidonyl ethanolamide. Many effects of NSAIDs, other than decreased oxidation of arachidonic acid and endocannabinoids, have been put forward but almost all of these additional processes are observed at supratherapeutic concentrations when the concentration of albumin, the major protein that binds NSAIDs, is taken into account. However, one exception is salicylate, a very potent inhibitor of the neutrophilic enzyme, myeloperoxidase, the inhibition of which leads to reduced production of the inflammatory mediator, hypochlorous acid, and inhibition of the inflammation associated with rheumatoid arthritis., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.)

Aims: To investigate and characterise the pharmacokinetics of febuxostat and the effect of the covariates of renal function and body size descriptors on the pharmacokinetics of the drug., Methods: Blood samples (n = 239) were collected using sparse and rich sampling strategies from healthy (n = 9) and gouty (n = 29) subjects. Febuxostat plasma concentrations were measured by a validated high-performance liquid chromatography method. Population pharmacokinetic analysis was performed using NONMEM. A common variability on bioavailability (FVAR) approach was used to test the effect of fed status on absorption parameters. Covariates were modelled using a power model., Results: The time course of the plasma concentrations of febuxostat is best described by a two-compartment model. In the final model, the population mean for apparent clearance (CL/F), apparent central volume of distribution (Vc/F), apparent peripheral volume of distribution (Vp/F), absorption rate constant (ka) and apparent intercompartmental clearance (Q/F) were 6.91 l h -1 , 32.8 l, 19.4 l, 3.6 h -1 and 1.25 l h -1 , respectively. The population parmater variability (coefficient of variation) for CL/F, Vc/F and Vp/F were 13.6, 22 and 19.5%, respectively. Food reduced the relative biovailability and ka by 67% and 87%, respectively. Renal function, as assessed by creatinine clearance, was a significant covariate for CL/F while body mass index was a significant covariate for Vc/F., Conclusions: Renal function and body mass index were significant covariates. Further work is warranted to investigate the clinical relevance of these results, notably as renal impairment and obesity are common occurrences in people with gout., (© 2022 The Authors. British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of British Pharmacological Society.)

An appreciation of the contribution of Professor Gary Graham to anti-inflammatory and antirheumatic pharmacology and clinical pharmacology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The FDA approved 'label' for metformin lists hepatic insufficiency as a risk for lactic acidosis. Little evidence supports this warning., Aims: To investigate the safety and pharmacokinetics of metformin in patients with chronic liver disease (CLD)., Methods: Chronic liver disease patients with and without type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) were studied by a cross-sectional survey of patients already prescribed metformin (n = 34), and by a prospective study where metformin (500 mg, immediate release, twice daily) for up to 6 weeks was prescribed (n = 24). Plasma metformin and lactate concentrations were monitored. Individual pharmacokinetics were obtained and compared to previously published values from healthy and T2DM populations without CLD., Results: All plasma metformin and lactate concentrations remained below the putative safety thresholds (metformin, 5 mg/L; lactate, 5 mmol/L). Lactate concentrations were unrelated to average steady-state metformin concentrations. In patients with CLD, T2DM was associated with higher plasma lactate concentrations (48% higher than those without T2DM, P < 0.0001). CLD patients with cirrhosis had 23% higher lactate concentrations than those without cirrhosis (P = 0.01). The pharmacokinetics of metformin in CLD patients were similar to patients with T2DM and no liver disease. The ratio of apparent metformin clearance (CL Met /F) to creatinine clearance was marginally lower in CLD patients compared to healthy subjects (median, interquartile range; 12.6, 9.5-15.9 vs 14.9, 13.4-16.4; P = 0.03)., Conclusions: The pharmacokinetics of metformin are not altered sufficiently in CLD patients to raise concerns regarding unsafe concentrations of metformin. There were no unsafe plasma lactate concentrations observed in CLD patients receiving metformin (ACTRN12619001292167; ACTRN12619001348145)., (© 2020 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Phospholipase A 2 (PLA 2 ) enzymes were first recognized as an enzyme activity class in 1961. The secreted (sPLA 2 ) enzymes were the first of the five major classes of human PLA 2 s to be identified and now number nine catalytically-active structurally homologous proteins. The best-studied of these, group IIA sPLA 2 , has a clear role in the physiological response to infection and minor injury and acts as an amplifier of pathological inflammation. The enzyme has been a target for anti-inflammatory drug development in multiple disorders where chronic inflammation is a driver of pathology since its cloning in 1989. Despite intensive effort, no clinically approved medicines targeting the enzyme activity have yet been developed. This review catalogues the major discoveries in the human group IIA sPLA 2 field, focusing on features of enzyme function that may explain this lack of success and discusses future research that may assist in realizing the potential benefit of targeting this enzyme. Functionally-selective inhibitors together with isoform-selective inhibitors are necessary to limit the apparent toxicity of previous drugs. There is also a need to define the relevance of the catalytic function of hGIIA to human inflammatory pathology relative to its recently-discovered catalysis-independent function.

Aims: To examine the pharmacokinetic-phamacodynamic (PK-PD) relationships of plasma febuxostat and serum urate and the effect of a single dose of the drug on renal excretion and fractional clearance of urate (FCU)., Methods: Blood and urine samples were collected at baseline and up to 145 hours following administration of febuxostat (80 mg) to healthy subjects (n = 9). Plasma febuxostat and serum and urinary urate and creatinine concentrations were determined. Febuxostat pharmacokinetics were estimated using a two-compartment model with first-order absorption. An Emax PK-PD model was fitted to mean febuxostat and urate concentrations. Urinary urate excretion and FCU were calculated pre- and post-dose., Results: Maximum mean plasma concentration of febuxostat (2.7 mg L -1 ) was observed 1.2 hours after dosage. Febuxostat initial and terminal half-lives were 2.0 ± 1.0 and 14.0 ± 4.7 hours (mean ± SD), respectively. The majority (81%) of the drug was eliminated in the 9 hours after dosing. Serum urate declined slowly achieving mean nadir (0.20 mmol L -1 ) at 24 hours. The IC 50 (plasma febuxostat concentration that inhibits urate production by 50%) was 0.11 ± 0.09 mg L -1 (mean ± SD). Urinary urate excretion changed in parallel with serum urate. There was no systematic or significant change in FCU from baseline., Conclusion: The PK-PD model could potentially be used to individualise febuxostat treatment and improve clinical outcomes. A single dose of febuxostat does not affect the efficiency of the kidney to excrete urate. Further investigations are required to confirm the present results following multiple dosing with febuxostat., (© 2020 The British Pharmacological Society.)

Background: Current guidelines for intravenous vancomycin identify drug exposure (as indicated by the AUC) as the best pharmacokinetic (PK) indicator of therapeutic outcome., Objectives: To assess the accuracy of two Bayesian forecasting programs in estimating vancomycin AUC0-∞ in adults with limited blood concentration sampling., Methods: The application of seven vancomycin population PK models in two Bayesian forecasting programs was examined in non-obese adults (n = 22) with stable renal function. Patients were intensively sampled following a single (1000 mg or 15 mg/kg) dose. For each patient, AUC was calculated by fitting all vancomycin concentrations to a two-compartment model (defined as AUCTRUE). AUCTRUE was then compared with the Bayesian-estimated AUC0-∞ values using a single vancomycin concentration sampled at various times post-infusion., Results: Optimal sampling times varied across different models. AUCTRUE was generally overestimated at earlier sampling times and underestimated at sampling times after 4 h post-infusion. The models by Goti et al. (Ther Drug Monit 2018., 40: 212-21) and Thomson et al. (J Antimicrob Chemother 2009., 63: 1050-7) had precise and unbiased sampling times (defined as mean imprecision <25% and <38 mg·h/L, with 95% CI for mean bias containing zero) between 1.5 and 6 h and between 0.75 and 2 h post-infusion, respectively. Precise but biased sampling times for Thomson et al. were between 4 and 6 h post-infusion., Conclusions: When using a single vancomycin concentration for Bayesian estimation of vancomycin drug exposure (AUC), the predictive performance was generally most accurate with sample collection between 1.5 and 6 h after infusion, though optimal sampling times varied across different population PK models., (© The Author(s) 2020. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

A 77-year-old professional gold craftsman ingested a white powder used in goldsmithing, mistaking the powder for a health supplement. He detected a strange taste and immediately fell sick, reported the incident to 911, and was taken to the emergency room. He died approximately 8.5 h post-ingestion despite treatment. There were no significant findings in the autopsy, the victim's heart blood sample, gastric contents, and the white powder the victim had taken were submitted to the department of forensic toxicology. Using scanning electron microscopy energy dispersive X-ray analysis, potassium and gold (Au) were detected in the white powder. Ion chromatography analysis detected cyanide. Concentrations of cyanide were 0.5 mg/L in heart blood and 13.3 mg/L in gastric contents. Qualitative and quantitative analyses of Au in the heart blood sample and gastric contents using inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry detected concentrations of 79.8 mg/L and 2010.1 mg/L, respectively. Au and cyanide synergistically enhance cytotoxicity through inhibition of detoxification and increasing intracellular accumulation. In the present case, the detected blood cyanide concentration was sub or minimally lethal, and the blood Au concentration was high. The cause of the victim's death was the combined toxicity of Au and cyanide., (© 2024 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.)

Background: Allopurinol dose reduction proportional to creatinine clearance (CLcr) results in suboptimal urate lowering in patients with gout. Similarly, diuretic therapy reduces oxypurinol clearance but is unexpectedly associated with the need for higher allopurinol doses to achieve the serum urate target (<0.36 mmol/L). The authors aimed to clarify the relationship between oxypurinol exposure and urate-lowering response in patients with gout at different stages of chronic kidney disease and those taking diuretics to determine the implications for maintenance dose selection., Methods: Oxypurinol and urate data from 5 clinical studies were available. Model-derived steady-state oxypurinol areas under the concentration-time curves (AUCss0-tau) were estimated using a Bayesian methodology. The observed response metrics included the percentage reduction in urate from baseline and achievement of the target urate level. Exposure-response was explored graphically and using logistic regression. In addition, the influence of chronic kidney disease and diuretic use on the allopurinol dose and oxypurinol AUCss0-tau requirements to achieve the serum urate target were explored., Results: Data from 258 patients with gout taking allopurinol representing 1288 paired steady-state oxypurinol and serum urate measurements were available. Higher oxypurinol exposure seems to be required for urate-lowering response normalization and achieve the serum urate target in individuals with reduced kidney function and those taking diuretics. However, allopurinol dose requirements were reduced by 2-fold at the extremes of kidney function and unchanged in those taking or not taking diuretics., Conclusions: A lower allopurinol maintenance dose was required in patients with reduced kidney function (CLcr <30 mL/min), but this was not proportional to CLcr. Diuretic therapy did not influence allopurinol dose requirements., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Aims: Metformin may have clinical benefits in dialysis patients; however, its safety in this population is unknown. This systematic review evaluated the safety of metformin in dialysis patients., Methods: MEDLINE, Embase, CENTRAL, PsycINFO and the Cochrane Library were searched for randomised controlled trials and observational studies evaluating metformin use in dialysis patients. Three authors reviewed the studies and extracted data. The primary outcomes were mortality, occurrence of lactic acidosis and myocardial infarction (MI) in patients taking metformin during dialysis treatment for ≥12 months (long term). Risk of bias was assessed using Risk Of Bias In Nonrandomised Studies of Interventions (ROBINS-1). Overall quality of evidence was assessed using Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE)., Results: Fifteen observational studies were eligible; 7 were prospective observational studies and 8 were case reports/case series. No randomised controlled trials were identified. The 7 prospective observational studies (n = 194) reported on cautious metformin use in patients undergoing maintenance dialysis. Only 3 provided long-term follow-up data. In 2 long-term studies of metformin therapy (≤1000 mg/d) in patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis (PD), 1 reported 6 deaths (6/83; 7%) due to major cardiovascular events (3 MI) and the other reported no deaths (0/35). One long-term study of metformin therapy (250 mg to 500 mg thrice weekly) in patients undergoing haemodialysis reported 4 deaths (4/61; 7%) due to major cardiovascular events (2 MI). These findings provide very low-quality evidence as they come from small observational studies., Conclusion: The evidence regarding the safety of metformin in people undergoing dialysis is inconclusive. Appropriately designed randomised controlled trials are needed to resolve this uncertainty., (© 2019 The British Pharmacological Society.)

Background: Vancomycin pharmacokinetics are best described using a 2-compartment model. However, 1-compartment population models are commonly used as the basis for dose prediction software. Therefore, the validity of using a 1-compartment model to guide vancomycin drug dosing was examined., Methods: Published plasma concentration-time data from adult subjects (n = 30) with stable renal function administered a single intravenous infusion of vancomycin were extracted from previous studies. The vancomycin area under the curve (AUC0-∞) was calculated for each subject using noncompartmental methods (AUCNCA) and by fitting 1- (AUC1CMT), 2- (AUC2CMT), and 3- (AUC3CMT) compartment infusion models. The optimal model fit was determined using the Akaike information criterion and visual inspection of the residual plots. The individual compartmental AUC0-∞ values from the 1- and 2-compartment models were compared with AUCNCA values using one-way repeated measures analysis of variance., Results: The mean (±SD) AUC estimates were similar for the different methods: AUCNCA 180 ± 86 mg·h/L, AUC1CMT 167 ± 79 mg·h/L, and AUC2CMT 183 ± 88 mg·h/L. Despite the overlapping AUC values, AUC2CMT and AUCNCA were significantly greater than AUC1CMT (P < 0.05). The 3-compartment model was excluded from the analysis because of the failure to converge in some instances., Conclusions: Dose prediction software using a 1-compartment model as the basis for Bayesian forecasting underestimates drug exposure (estimated as the AUC) by less than 10%. This is unlikely to be clinically significant with respect to dose adjustment. Therefore, a 1-compartment model may be sufficient to guide vancomycin dosing in adult patients with stable renal function.

Febuxostat prevents gout attacks by lowering serum urate. Aspects of the pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic relationship of febuxostat concentrations to urate in gout patients need further elucidation. In order to undertake these studies, the assay methodology for febuxostat has been enhanced and validated to meet FDA standards. An HPLC method with fluorescence-detection has been modified to increase sensitivity, reduce complexity, shorten the sample preparation process and improve the inter-day coefficient of variation of the lowest quality control sample (0.03 μg/L). Protein in plasma samples (200 μL) is now precipitated with acetonitrile (400 μL) containing the internal standard (2-naphthoic acid). The supernatant is analysed at excitation and emission wavelengths of 320 and 380 nm, respectively as in the previous method. A Luna C18 column (Phenomenex, Australia) at 40 °C with mobile phase of glacial acetic acid (0.032%) in acetonitrile:water (60:40, v:v), an injection volume of 10 μL and a flow rate of 1.5 mL/min is employed. Analysis time is 8 min. Calibration curves in drug-free plasma range from 0.005 to 10.00 μg/mL. Data points are fitted using linear regression with a weighting factor of 1/concentration. The inter-day accuracy and imprecision of the quality control samples (0.0075, 0.015, 3.00 and 9.80 μg/mL) is 90-115% and ≤ 14.5%, respectively., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Intentional drug overdoses with antidepressant and antipsychotic medications are an increasingly common problem. Currently, there is little guidance with regard to reintroduction of these medications after intentional overdoses. We have used published toxicological and pharmacokinetic data to obtain factors which control the recovery from overdoses. From such data, we have proposed guidance regarding their reintroduction, provided there are no adverse effects or contraindications. Tentatively, we suggest that when adverse effects from the overdose are lost, treatment could recommence after a further mean half-life of elimination. Most antidepressant and antipsychotic drugs are metabolized by cytochrome P450 enzymes and, where cytochrome P450 inhibitors are co-ingested, serial plasma concentrations should optimally be obtained in order to assess a suitable time for reintroduction of the psychoactive drugs. We hope the proposals presented will stimulate research and discussion that lead to better guidance for clinicians concerning reintroduction of psychoactive medication after intentional overdose., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest statement: The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest.

Purpose of Review: To review the extent of treatment success or failure with the xanthine oxidoreductase inhibitors allopurinol and febuxostat and indicate how the dosage of urate-lowering therapy (ULT) may be modified to increase the response in the majority of patients with gout., Recent Findings: Gout flares are associated with serum concentrations of urate above 0.42 mmol/L (7 mg/dL). Achieving and maintaining serum urate below 0.36 mmol/L is considered an effective response to ULT. On an intention to treat basis, clinical trials indicate that allopurinol at daily doses of 100 to 300 mg decreases serum urate adequately in only about 40% of gout patients while febuxostat 80 mg daily reduces serum urate adequately in approximately 70% of gout patients. Higher doses of ULT may be required in patients receiving concomitant diuretics. The addition of a uricosuric agent to allopurinol and febuxostat therapy significantly increases the proportion of patients achieving adequate lowering of serum urate. Finally, carriers of a genetic variant of the transporter, ABCG2 (BCRP), have a decreased response to allopurinol. Careful examination of medication adherence, titration of doses, and the addition of uricosuric agents increase the percentage of patients responding to allopurinol and febuxostat.

Aims: Dose escalation at the initiation of allopurinol therapy can be protracted and resource intensive. Tools to predict the allopurinol doses required to achieve target serum urate concentrations would facilitate the implementation of more efficient dose-escalation strategies. The aim of this research was to develop and externally evaluate allopurinol dosing tools, one for use when the pre-urate-lowering therapy serum urate is known (Easy-Allo1) and one for when it is not known (Easy-Allo2)., Methods: A revised population pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic model was developed using data from 653 people with gout. Maintenance doses to achieve the serum urate target of <0.36 mmol L -1 in >80% of individuals were simulated and evaluated against external data. The predicted and observed allopurinol doses were compared using the mean prediction error (MPE) and root mean square error (RMSE). The proportion of Easy-Allo predicted doses within 100 mg of the observed was quantified., Results: Allopurinol doses were predicted by total body weight, baseline urate, ethnicity and creatinine clearance. Easy-Allo1 produced unbiased and suitably precise dose predictions (MPE 2 mg day -1 95% confidence interval [CI] -13-17, RMSE 91%, 90% within 100 mg of the observed dose). Easy-Allo2 was positively biased by about 70 mg day -1 and slightly less precise (MPE 70 mg day -1 95% CI 52-88, RMSE 131%, 71% within 100 mg of the observed dose)., Conclusions: The Easy-Allo tools provide a guide to the allopurinol maintenance dose requirement to achieve the serum urate target of <0.36 mmol L -1 and will aid in the development of novel dose-escalation strategies for allopurinol therapy., (© 2024 The Authors. British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of British Pharmacological Society.)

Aims: The aims of the study were to: 1) determine if a plasma oxypurinol concentration-response relationship or an allopurinol dose-response relationship best predicts the dose requirements of allopurinol in the treatment of gout; and 2) to construct a nomogram for calculating the optimum maintenance dose of allopurinol to achieve target serum urate (SU) concentrations., Methods: A nonlinear regression analysis was used to examine the plasma oxypurinol concentration- and allopurinol dose-response relationships with serum urate. In 81 patients (205 samples), creatinine clearance (CL CR ), concomitant diuretic use and SU concentrations before (U P ) and during (U T ) treatment were monitored across a range of allopurinol doses (D, 50-700 mg daily). Plasma concentrations of oxypurinol (C) were measured in 47 patients (98 samples). Models (n = 47 patients) and predictions from each relationship were compared using F-tests, r 2 values and paired t-tests. The best model was used to construct a nomogram., Results: The final plasma oxypurinol concentration-response relationship (U T  = U P  - C*(U P  - U R )/(ID 50  + C), r 2  = 0.64) and allopurinol dose-response relationship (U T  = U P  - D * (U P  - U R )/(ID 50  + D), r 2  = 0.60) did not include CL CR or diuretic use as covariates. There was no difference (P = 0.87) between the predicted SU concentrations derived from the oxypurinol concentration- and allopurinol dose-response relationships. The nomogram constructed using the allopurinol dose-response relationship for all recruited patients (n = 81 patients) required pretreatment SU as the predictor of allopurinol maintenance dose., Conclusions: Plasma oxypurinol concentrations, CL CR and diuretic status are not required to predict the maintenance dose of allopurinol. Using the nomogram, the maintenance dose of allopurinol estimated to reach target concentrations can be predicted from U P ., (© 2017 The British Pharmacological Society.)

Purpose: The aims of this study were to investigate the relationship between metformin exposure, renal clearance (CL R ), and apparent non-renal clearance of metformin (CL NR /F) in patients with varying degrees of kidney function and to develop dosing recommendations., Methods: Plasma and urine samples were collected from three studies consisting of patients with varying degrees of kidney function (creatinine clearance, CL CR ; range, 14-112 mL/min). A population pharmacokinetic model was built (NONMEM) in which the oral availability (F) was fixed to 0.55 with an estimated inter-individual variability (IIV). Simulations were performed to estimate AUC 0-τ , CL R , and CL NR /F., Results: The data (66 patients, 327 observations) were best described by a two-compartment model, and CL CR was a covariate for CL R . Mean CL R was 17 L/h (CV 22%) and mean CL NR /F was 1.6 L/h (69%).The median recovery of metformin in urine was 49% (range 19-75%) over a dosage interval. When CL R increased due to improved renal function, AUC 0-τ decreased proportionally, while CL NR /F did not change with kidney function. Target doses (mg/day) of metformin can be reached using CL CR /3 × 100 to obtain median AUC 0-12 of 18-26 mg/L/h for metformin IR and AUC 0-24 of 38-51 mg/L/h for metformin XR, with C max  < 5 mg/L., Conclusions: The proposed dosing algorithm can be used to dose metformin in patients with various degrees of kidney function to maintain consistent drug exposure. However, there is still marked IIV and therapeutic drug monitoring of metformin plasma concentrations is recommended.

Febuxostat is a xanthine oxidoreductase inhibitor that has been developed to treat chronic gout. In healthy subjects, the pharmacokinetic parameters of febuxostat after multiple oral dose administration include an oral availability of about 85 %, an apparent oral clearance (CL/F) of 10.5 ± 3.4 L/h and an apparent volume of distribution at steady state (V ss /F) of 48 ± 23 L. The time course of plasma concentrations follows a two-compartment model. The initial half-life (t ½ ) is approximately 2 h and the terminal t ½ determined at daily doses of 40 mg or more is 9.4 ± 4.9 h. Febuxostat is administered once daily. The maximum (peak) plasma concentrations are approximately 100-fold greater than the trough concentrations. Consequently, there is no significant accumulation of the drug during multiple dose administration. There are few data on the pharmacokinetics of febuxostat in patients with gout. While the pharmacokinetic parameters are not affected by mild to moderate hepatic impairment, there is no consensus on whether renal impairment has any effect on the pharmacokinetics of febuxostat. Febuxostat is extensively metabolised by oxidation (approximately 35 %) and acyl glucuronidation (up to 40 %); febuxostat acyl glucuronides are cleared by the kidney. In healthy subjects treated with multiple doses of febuxostat 10-240 mg, the concentrations of serum urate are reduced by a maximum of about 80 %. The percentage reduction in the concentrations of serum urate is slightly less in gouty patients than in healthy subjects.

Introduction: Gout is the most common inflammatory arthritis in men and is increasingly prevalent. Allopurinol is very effective at reducing plasma urate concentrations to a level sufficient to dissolve monosodium urate crystals. However, many patients fail to achieve a sufficient therapeutic response to allopurinol. Areas covered: This review covers the metabolism and pharmacokinetics of allopurinol and its active metabolite, oxypurinol and how these factors affect the plasma concentrations of urate at initiation and during long-term therapy with allopurinol. Significant aspects discussed are the importance of adherence to allopurinol therapy, allopurinol hypersensitivity reactions and insights into hyperuricemia. Expert opinion: The initial dosage of allopurinol should be low, particularly in patients with renal impairment. The dose should then be increased slowly until plasma concentrations of urate are sufficient to dissolve monosodium urate crystals (≤ 0.36 mmol/L). For this target, the maintenance dose of allopurinol can be estimated from the equation: Dose = 1413*(U p -0.36) where U p is the pre-treatment concentration of urate. Poor adherence is a major factor limiting successful therapy with allopurinol; however, its use can be improved considerably by education of patients and clinicians. Allopurinol is generally well tolerated and screening for genetic factors predictive of allopurinol hypersensitivity reactions can now be undertaken.

Purpose: The study aimed to (1) determine the trends in the utilisation of metformin in Australia, (2) determine the appropriateness of metformin dosing in an Australian teaching hospital and (3) gather the opinions of prescribers on the relationship between metformin dose and renal function., Methods: National prescription data between 1990 and 2012 were accessed. A retrospective audit (2008-2012) of metformin doses and patient renal function (20 % random sample of all in-patients prescribed metformin) was conducted at St Vincent's Hospital (SVH), Sydney. Prescribers of metformin were interviewed (semi-structured; consultants at SVH) or surveyed (Australian endocrinologists) to gather their understanding of metformin dosing in relation to renal function., Results: Metformin utilisation increased fivefold nationally between 1995 and 2012. Metformin tended to be under-dosed in SVH patients with normal renal function (83.5 %) and over-dosed in patients with impaired renal function (estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) <30 mL/min, 50 %). Consultants indicated that metformin doses needed to be reduced in renal impairment. Most endocrinologists (61 %) were comfortable prescribing metformin down to eGFRs around 30 mL/min., Conclusion: The use of metformin increased greatly over the period of the study. Metformin is prescribed frequently for patients with eGFR values below the minimal level approved in the product label (60 mL/min). While prescribers expressed their understanding of the need to reduce metformin doses in patients with renal impairment, we found that metformin doses were higher than appropriate in patients with impaired renal function. Metformin may be used safely when renal function is poor provided dosage is appropriately reduced.

Xanthine oxidoreductase (XOR) is the rate-limiting enzyme in purine catabolism and converts hypoxanthine to xanthine, and xanthine into uric acid. When concentrations of uric acid exceed its biochemical saturation point, crystals of uric acid, in the form of monosodium urate, emerge and can predispose an individual to gout, the commonest form of inflammatory arthritis in men aged over 40 years. XOR inhibitors are primarily used in the treatment of gout, reducing the formation of uric acid and thereby, preventing the formation of monosodium urate crystals. Allopurinol is established as first-line therapy for gout; a newer alternative, febuxostat, is used in patients unable to tolerate allopurinol. This review provides an overview of gout, a detailed analysis of the structure and function of XOR, discussion on the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of XOR inhibitors-allopurinol and febuxostat, and the relevance of XOR in common comorbidities of gout., (© 2016 The Author(s). published by Portland Press Limited on behalf of the Biochemical Society.)

Objective: To investigate the contributions towards hyperuricaemia of known risk factors, focusing on fractional (renal) clearance of urate (FCU) and variation in the ATP-binding cassette transporter, sub-family G 2 (ABCG2) gene., Methods: The contributions of age, sex, ancestry, Q141K genotype for ABCG2, FCU, sugar-sweetened beverage and alcohol consumption, metabolic syndrome disorders and measures of renal function to the risk of hyperuricaemia were evaluated by comparing hyperuricaemic (serum urate≥0.42 mmol/L, n=448) with normouricaemic (serum urate<0.42 mmol/L, n=344) participants using stepwise logistic regression. Model performance was evaluated using the area under the receiver operator characteristic curve (AUROC)., Results: ABCG2 genotype, FCU, male sex, body mass index, serum triglyceride concentrations, estimated glomerular filtration rate and consumption of alcohol were the best predictors of hyperuricaemia (AUROC 0.90, 81% accuracy). Homozygosity in the 141K variant for ABCG2 conferred an adjusted OR of 10.5 for hyperuricaemia (95% CI 2.4 to 46.2). For each 1% decrease of FCU, the adjusted OR increased by 51% (OR 1.51, 95% CI 1.37 to 1.66). There was no association between ABCG2 genotype and FCU (r=0.02, p=0.83)., Conclusions: The ABCG2 141K variant and the FCU contribute strongly but independently to hyperuricaemia. These findings provide further evidence for a significant contribution of ABCG2 to extra-renal (gut) clearance of urate., (Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/)

Benzbromarone, a potent uricosuric drug, was introduced in the 1970s and was viewed as having few associated serious adverse reactions. It was registered in about 20 countries throughout Asia, South America and Europe. In 2003, the drug was withdrawn by Sanofi-Synthélabo, after reports of serious hepatotoxicity, although it is still marketed in several countries by other drug companies. The withdrawal has greatly limited its availability around the world, and increased difficulty in accessing it in other countries where it has never been available.The overall aim of this paper is to determine if the withdrawal of benzbromarone was in the best interests of gouty patients and to present a benefit-risk assessment of benzbromarone. To determine this, we examined (i) the clinical benefits associated with benzbromarone treatment and compared them with the success of alternative therapies such as allopurinol and probenecid, particularly in patients with renal impairment; (ii) the attribution of the reported cases of hepatotoxicity to treatment with benzbromarone; (iii) the incidence of hepatotoxicity possibly due to benzbromarone; (iv) adverse reactions to allopurinol and probenecid. From these analyses, we present recommendations on the use of benzbromarone.Large reductions in plasma urate concentrations in patients with hyperuricaemia are achieved with benzbromarone and most patients normalize their plasma urate. The half-life of benzbromarone is generally short (about 3 hours); however, a uricosuric metabolite, 6-hydroxybenzbromarone, has a much longer half-life (up to 30 hours) and is the major species responsible for the uricosuric activity of benzbromarone, although its metabolism by cytochrome P450 (CYP) 2C9 in the liver may vary between patients as a result of polymorphisms in this enzyme. It is effective in patients with moderate renal impairment. Standard dosages of benzbromarone (100 mg/day) tend to produce greater hypouricaemic effects than standard doses of allopourinol (300 mg/day) or probenecid (1000 mg/day).Adverse effects associated with benzbromarone are relatively infrequent, but potentially severe. Four cases of benzbromarone-induced hepatotoxicity were identified from the literature. Eleven cases have been reported by Sanofi-Synthélabo, but details are not available in the public domain. Only one of the four published cases demonstrated a clear relationship between the drug and liver injury as demonstrated by rechallenge. The other three cases lacked incontrovertible evidence to support a diagnosis of benzbromarone-induced hepatotoxicity. If all the reported cases are assumed to be due to benzbromarone, the estimated risk of hepatotoxicity in Europe was approximately 1 in 17 000 patients but may be higher in Japan.Benzbromarone is also an inhibitor of CYP2C9 and so may be involved in drug interactions with drugs dependent on this enzyme for clearance, such as warfarin. Alternative drugs to benzbromarone have significant adverse reactions. Allopurinol is associated with rare life-threatening hypersensitivity syndromes; the risk of these reactions is approximately 1 in 56 000. Rash occurs in approximately 2% of patients taking allopurinol and usually leads to cessation of prescription of the drug. Probenecid has also been associated with life-threatening reactions in a very small number of case reports, but it frequently interacts with many renally excreted drugs. Febuxostat is a new xanthine oxidoreductase inhibitor, which is still in clinical trials, but abnormal liver function is the most commonly reported adverse reaction.Even assuming a causal relationship between benzbromarone and hepatotoxicity in the identified cases, benefit-risk assessment based on total exposure to the drug does not support the decision by the drug company to withdraw benzbromarone from the market given the paucity of alternative options. It is likely that the risks of hepatotoxicity could be ameliorated by employing a graded dosage increase, together with regular monitoring of liver function. Determination of CYP2C9 status and consideration of potential interactions through inhibition of this enzyme should be considered. The case for wider and easier availability of benzbromarone for treating selected cases of gout is compelling, particularly for patients in whom allopurinol produces insufficient response or toxicity.We conclude that the withdrawal of benzbromarone was not in the best interest of patients with gout. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Allopurinol, an antihyperuricaemic agent, is one of the common causes of life-threatening severe cutaneous adverse reactions (SCAR), including drug rash with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS), Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS) and toxic epidermal necrosis (TEN). The prognostic factors for allopurinol-related SCAR remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate the relationship of dosing, renal function, plasma levels of oxypurinol and granulysin (a cytotoxic protein of SJS/TEN), the disease severity and mortality in allopurinol-SCAR., Methods: We prospectively enrolled 48 patients with allopurinol-SCAR (26 SJS/TEN and 22 DRESS) and 138 allopurinol-tolerant controls from 2007 to 2012. The human leucocyte antigen (HLA)-B*58:01 status, plasma concentrations of oxypurinol and granulysin were determined., Results: In this cohort, HLA-B*58:01 was strongly associated with allopurinol-SCAR (p<0.001, OR (95% CI) 109 (25 to 481)); however, the initial/maintenance dosages showed no relationship with the disease. Poor renal function was significantly associated with the delayed clearance of plasma oxypurinol, and increased the risk of allopurinol-SCAR (p<0.001, OR (95% CI) 8.0 (3.9 to 17)). Sustained high levels of oxypurinol after allopurinol withdrawal correlated with the poor prognosis of allopurinol-SCAR. In particular, the increased plasma levels of oxypurinol and granulysin linked to the high mortality of allopurinol-SJS/TEN (p<0.01), and strongly associated with prolonged cutaneous reactions in allopurinol-DRESS (p<0.05)., Conclusions: Impaired renal function and increased plasma levels of oxypurinol and granulysin correlated with the poor prognosis of allopurinol-SCAR. Allopurinol prescription is suggested to be avoided in subjects with renal insufficiency and HLA-B*58:01 carriers. An early intervention to increase the clearance of plasma oxypurinol may improve the prognosis of allopurinol-SCAR., (Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/)

Aims: To compare the pharmacokinetics of metformin between diabetic Indigenous (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) and non-Indigenous patients., Methods: An observational, cross-sectional study was conducted on type 2 diabetic Indigenous and non-Indigenous patients treated with metformin. Blood samples were collected to determine metformin, lactate, creatinine and vitamin B12 concentrations and glycosylated haemoglobin levels. A population model was used to determine the pharmacokinetic parameters., Results: The Indigenous patients (median age 55 years) were younger than the non-Indigenous patients (65 years), with a difference of 10 years (95% confidence interval 6-14 years, P < 0.001). The median glycosylated haemoglobin was higher in the Indigenous patients (8.5%) than in the non-Indigenous patients (7.2%), with a difference of 1.4% (0.8-2.2%, P < 0.001). Indigenous patients had a higher creatinine clearance (4.3 l h(-1) ) than the non-Indigenous patients (4.0 l h(-1) ), with a median difference of 0.3 l h(-1) (0.07-1.17 l h(-1) ; P < 0.05). The ratio of the apparent clearance of metformin to the creatinine clearance in Indigenous patients (13.1, 10.2-15.2; median, interquartile range) was comparable to that in non-Indigenous patients (12.6, 9.9-14.9). Median lactate concentrations were also similar [1.55 (1.20-1.88) vs. 1.60 (1.35-2.10) mmol l(-1) ] for Indigenous and non-Indigenous patients, respectively. The median vitamin B12 was 306 pmol l(-1) (range 105-920 pmol l(-1) ) for the Indigenous patients., Conclusions: There were no significant differences in the pharmacokinetics of metformin or plasma concentrations of lactate between Indigenous and non-Indigenous patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Further studies are required in Indigenous patients with creatinine clearance <30 ml min(-1) ., (© 2014 The British Pharmacological Society.)

Uric acid (UA) levels in blood serum have been associated with hypertension, indicating a potential causal relationship between high serum UA levels and the progression of hypertension. Therefore, the reduction of serum UA level is considered a potential strategy for lowering and mitigating blood pressure. If an individual is at risk of developing or already manifesting elevated blood pressure, this intervention could be an integral part of a comprehensive treatment plan. By addressing hyperuricaemia, practitioners may subsidize the optimization of blood pressure regulation, which illustrates the importance of addressing UA levels as a valuable strategy within the broader context of hypertension management. In this analysis, we outlined the operational principles of effective xanthine oxidase inhibitors for the treatment of hyperuricaemia and hypertension, along with an exploration of the contribution of nanotechnology to this field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) affects ∼50% of the 500 million people with type 2 diabetes worldwide and is considered disabling and irreversible. The current study was undertaken to assess the effect of metformin on peripheral neuropathy outcomes in type 2 diabetes. Participants with type 2 diabetes (n = 69) receiving metformin were recruited and underwent clinical assessment, peripheral nerve ultrasonography, nerve conduction studies, and axonal excitability studies. Also concurrently screened were 318 participants who were not on metformin, and 69 were selected as disease control subjects and matched to the metformin participants for age, sex, diabetes duration, BMI, HbA1c, and use of other diabetes therapies. Medical record data over the previous 20 years were analyzed for previous metformin use. Mean tibial nerve cross-sectional area was lower in the metformin group (metformin 14.1 ± 0.7 mm2, nonmetformin 16.2 ± 0.9 mm2, P = 0.038), accompanied by reduction in neuropathy symptom severity (P = 0.021). Axonal excitability studies demonstrated superior axonal function in the metformin group, and mathematical modeling demonstrated that these improvements were mediated by changes in nodal Na+and K+conductances. Metformin treatment is associated with superior nerve structure and clinical and neurophysiological measures. Treatment with metformin may be neuroprotective in DPN. Article Highlights: We aimed to assess whether peripheral neuropathy outcomes for patients with type 2 diabetes were better on metformin treatment. Metformin and nonmetformin groups with type 2 diabetes were matched for demographic and metabolic factors. Clinical neuropathy scores, peripheral nerve ultrasonography, nerve conduction studies, axonal excitability, and mathematical modeling findings were all superior in the metformin group. Mathematical modeling suggested this was due to superior nodal Na+and K+conductances. Treatment with metformin may be neuroprotective in diabetic peripheral neuropathy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the efficacy of utilizing eggshells and their pyrolyzed derivatives, within the temperature range of 400–800 °C, as adsorbents for ciprofloxacin (CIP) removal. Experimental data were analyzed using various machine learning (ML) algorithms, viz. linear regression, random forest, support vector machines, decision trees, and k-nearest neighbor to predict performance. Results demonstrated that pyrolyzed eggshells at 600 °C (PES-600) exhibited the highest CIP removal rate (86.06 ± 2.25%). Optimal performance was consistently observed at an initial CIP concentration of 125 mg/L, with the order of PES-600 > PES-500 > PES-400 > PES-700 > eggshells > PES-800. Adsorption capacity peaked at pH 5 (5.84 ± 0.1 mg/g), attributed to interactions including hydrogen bonding, π–π interaction, and ion exchange. Scanning electron microscope images revealed that PES-600 had the highest number of pores, resulting in a smoother surface post-adsorption. Langmuir isotherm model fitting was best for ES, PES-700, and PES-800, while Freundlich isotherm was suitable for PES-400, PES-500, and PES-600. PES-600 showed the best fit with the pseudo-second-order kinetic model. Characterization analysis highlighted the significance of functional groups like C = O, C = C, and –CH groups in aromatic rings. ML algorithms demonstrated remarkable performance with an accuracy level of 90.28%. In conclusion, pyrolyzed eggshells can effectively remove ciprofloxacin (CIP) from wastewater, with optimal performance predicted by the random forest machine learning algorithm when considering real environmental factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The long-term disease trajectory of people living with multiple sclerosis (MS) can be improved by initiating efficacious treatment early. More quantitative evidence is needed on factors that affect a patient's risk of disability worsening or possibility of improvement to inform timely treatment decisions. Methods: We developed a multistate model to quantify the influence of demographic, clinical, and imaging factors on disability worsening and disability improvement simultaneously across the disability spectrum as measured by the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS). We used clinical trial data from the Novartis–Oxford MS database including ~130,000 EDSS assessments from ~8000 patients, spanning all MS phenotypes. Results: Higher brain volume was positively associated with disability improvement at all disability levels (hazard ratio (HR) = 1.09–1.19; 95% credible interval (CI) = 1.02–1.27). Higher T2 lesion volume was negatively associated with disability improvement up to EDSS 6 (HR = 0.80–0.89; 95% CI = 0.75–0.94). Older age, time since first symptoms, and the number of relapses in the past year were confirmed as predictors of future disability worsening. Conclusions: Brain damage was identified as the most consistent factor limiting the patient's probability for improvements from the earliest stages and across the whole course of MS. Protecting brain integrity early in MS should have greater weight in clinical decision-making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Aspirin overdose, though now infrequently encountered, nevertheless continues to contribute to significant morbidity and mortality. The patient described in this case report intentionally ingested overdoses of aspirin on repeated occasions. The case provided an unusual and possibly one-of-a-kind opportunity to focus on the variability in the time course of plasma salicylate concentrations with current treatment modalities of aspirin overdose in an individual patient., Case Presentation: A 75-year-old Caucasian man who weighed 45 kg and had an extensive history of various drug overdoses and stage 3 chronic kidney disease presented to a tertiary university hospital on three occasions within 2 months after successive overdoses of aspirin. During his third admission, he overdosed with aspirin, while on the ward recovering from the previous aspirin overdose. The overdoses were categorized as "potentially lethal" on two occasions and as "serious" in the other two, based on the alleged dose of aspirin ingested (over 500 mg/kg in the first two overdoses, and 320 mg/kg and 498 mg/kg in the other two, respectively). However, as assessed by the observed salicylate concentrations, the ingestions would more appropriately have been categorized as being of "moderate" severity for the first and second overdose and "mild" severity for each of the others. This categorization was more consistent with the clinical severity of his admissions. A single dose of activated charcoal was administered only after the second overdose. On each occasion, he was given intravenous fluid with the aim of achieving euvolemia. Urinary alkalization was not attempted during the first admission, which was associated with the longest apparent elimination half-life of salicylate (30 hours). A plasma potassium concentration of approximately 4 mmol/L appeared to be needed for adequate urinary alkalization., Conclusion: In a patient with impaired renal function, intravenous fluid and urinary alkalization are the mainstays of treatment of aspirin overdose. Correction of hypokalemia is recommended. Repeated doses of charcoal may be a worthwhile intervention when there is no risk of aspiration. Our experience in this case also revealed considerable unexplained variation in management despite the availability of guidelines. It is, therefore, important to monitor the implementation of available guidelines.

1. Ototoxicity is a common and troublesome side-effect of high-dose aspirin treatment but there has been little previous study of the relationships between the degree of ototoxicity and the plasma concentrations of salicylate. 2. In order to investigate the relationships between aspirin dose, total and unbound plasma salicylate concentrations and ototoxicity, eight normal volunteers were dosed with aspirin 1.95, 3.25, 4.55 and 5.85 g day-1 for 1 week at each dose level, the doses being administered in random order and double-blind, 2 weeks apart. 3. Ototoxic effects measured were hearing loss in decibels (dB) over six frequencies and tinnitus intensity, estimated both by electronic matching and a fixed interval scale (FIS). Measurements were taken after steady-state concentrations of salicylate had been achieved. 4. Total and unbound plasma salicylate concentrations increased disproportionately with increasing daily doses of aspirin. The increase in the unbound salicylate was relatively greater since the percentage of salicylate unbound in plasma increased over the dose range investigated from a mean of 3.9% to 10.4%. 5. Hearing loss and tinnitus intensity increased progressively with the aspirin dosage and increasing concentrations of total and unbound plasma salicylate concentrations. These ototoxic symptoms were observed at lower concentrations of total salicylate than previously reported. 6. There was a linear relationship between hearing loss and unbound salicylate concentrations. 7. Further work is required to test the hypothesis that unbound plasma salicylate concentration is a better predictor of salicylate-induced ototoxicity than total plasma salicylate concentration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1. 1-methyl xanthine (1-MX) is metabolized exclusively to 1-methyl uric acid (1-MU) by the enzyme xanthine oxidase. 2. The ratio of 1-MU to 1- MX in the urine, following a dose of 50 mg of 1-MX infused intravenously over 20 min, was used to measure the inhibition of xanthine oxidase induced by different doses of allopurinol. 3. Normal volunteers (n = 8) were given allopurinol 50, 100, 300 and 600 mg daily for 1 week each, in random order and 1 week separated each treatment. Inhibition of xanthine oxidase was assessed twice, on the last 2 days of each treatment week. 4. Steady-state oxipurinol concentrations increased linearly with increasing dose of allopurinol. 5. There was a hyperbolic relationship between the 1-MU/1-MX ratio and plasma oxipurinol concentrations, with an initial steep decline in the ratio which plateaued when plasma oxipurinol was around 4-6 mg l-1. This reduction in the ratio was quickly reversible upon cessation of allopurinol. 6. The 50% and 90% effective inhibitory oxipurinol concentrations, in relation to the 1-MU-/1-MX ratio were 1.4 +/- 0.46 and 4.08 +/- 2.03 mg l-1 respectively. 7. The concentration of oxipurinol required for almost complete inhibition of the enzyme was substantially less than those often observed in clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]