Pharmacogenomics in Pediatric Patients: Towards Personalized Medicine

Pharmacogenomics and pediatric drug development: science and political power. A narrative review

INTRODUCTION

Pharmacogenomics (PGx) investigates how genomes control enzyme expression. Developmental pharmacology (DP) describes the temporal sequence of enzymes impacting absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME) of food and drugs.

AREAS COVERED

US and European Union (EU) legislation facilitate and/or enforce pediatric studies for all new drugs, called overall 'pediatric drug development' (PDD). DP and PDD look at patients' chronological age, but oscillate between legal and physiological meanings of the term 'child.' Children's bodies become mature with puberty.

EXPERT OPINION

Decades after first DP observations in babies, PGx offers a better understanding of the variability of safety and efficacy of drugs, of the process of aging, and of shifting enzyme patterns across aging. We should rethink and revise outdated interpretations of ADME changes in minors. The Declaration of Helsinki forbids pointless studies that some pediatric researchers and regulatory agencies, more so the EMA than the FDA, demand pointless pediatric studies is regrettable. Medicine needs to differentiate between legal and physiological meanings of the term 'child' and should use objective measures of maturity.

Genotype-driven asthma prescribing of inhaled corticosteroids and long-acting β2-agonist: A cost-effectiveness analysis

INTRODUCTION

Predicting response to inhaled corticosteroids (ICSs) + long-acting β2-agonist (LABA) by previously detecting the presence of Arg16Gly ADRB2 genotype is a strategy that could reduce and optimize the management of asthmatic patients. There is a need for economic evaluations to facilitate the implementation of such tests. This research aims to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of Arg16Gly ADRB2 screening in children with asthma in Colombia.

METHODS

From the perspective of a third-party payer, we conducted a cost-effectiveness analysis to determine the cost and quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) of genotype-driven asthma prescribing based on the Arg16Gly ADRB2 genotype versus current treatment based on no genetic testing. Using four state-transition models, we estimate cost and QALYs employing micro-simulation modeling with a time horizon of 10 years and a cycle length of 1 week. Cost-effectiveness was assessed at a willingness-to-pay (WTP) value of US$5180.

RESULTS

The mean incremental cost of strategy genetic testing versus no genetic testing is US$ -6809. The mean incremental benefit of strategy genetic testing is 16 QALYs. The incremental net monetary benefit of strategic genetic testing versus no genetic testing is US$ 88,893. Genetic testing is the strategy with the highest expected net benefit. The outcomes derived from our primary analysis remained robust when subjected to variations in all underlying assumptions and parameter values.

CONCLUSION

Genetic testing of Arg16Gly ADRB2 is a cost-effective strategy to address asthma management in asthmatic children requiring ICS+LABA. This result should encourage the generation of more evidence and the incorporation of such evidence into clinical practice guidelines for pediatric asthma.

Utilization of supportive care medications and opportunities for pre-emptive pharmacogenomic testing in pediatric and young adults with leukemia

This study aimed to evaluate the utilization of drugs with pharmacogenomic guidelines (PGx-drugs) for personalized dosing in pediatric leukemia. A retrospective observational study of pediatric leukemia patients admitted between 2009-2019 at a single-center academic children's hospital was conducted to determine PGx-drug exposure within 3 years of diagnosis. Along with baseline demographic and clinical characteristics of these patients, data regarding dates of diagnosis, relapse, death were collected. During the study period, inclusion criteria were met by 714 patients. The most frequently given medications were ondansetron (96.1%), morphine (92.2%), and allopurinol (85.3%) during the study period. In this cohort, 82% of patients received five or more PGx-drugs. Patients diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia and leukemia unspecified were prescribed more PGx-drugs than other types of leukemia. There was a significant relationship between age at diagnosis and the number of PGx-drugs prescribed. Adolescents and adults both received a median of 10 PGx-drugs, children received a median of 6 PGx-drugs, and infants received a median of 7 PGx-drugs (p < 0.001). Patients with recurrent leukemia had significantly more PGx-drugs prescribed compared to those without recurrent disease, 10 drugs and 6 drugs, respectively (p < 0.001). Patients diagnosed with childhood leukemia are high utilizers of PGx-drugs. There is a vital need to understand how PGx testing may be utilized to optimize treatment and enhance quality of life. Preemptive PGx testing is a tool that aids in optimization of drug therapy and decreases the need for later treatment modifications. This can result in financial savings from decreased health-care encounters.

The Potential Impact of Preemptive Pharmacogenetic Genotyping in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the use of drugs with pharmacogenomic (PGx) guidelines from the Clinical Pharmacogenetics Implementation Consortium in early childhood.

STUDY DESIGN

A retrospective observational study of patients admitted to the neonatal intensive care (NICU) between 2005 and 2018 with at least 1 subsequent hospitalization at or after 5 years of age was performed to determine PGx drug exposure. Data regarding hospitalizations, drug exposures, gestational age, birth weight, and congenital anomalies and/or a primary genetic diagnosis were collected. Incidence of PGx drug and drug class exposures was determined and patient specific factors predictive of exposure were investigated.

RESULTS

During the study, 19 195 patients received NICU care and 4196 (22%) met study inclusion; 67% received 1-2, 28% 3-4, and 5% 5 or more PGx-drugs in early childhood. Preterm gestation, low birth weight (<2500 g), and the presence of any congenital anomalies and/or a primary genetic diagnosis were statistically significant predictors of Clinical Pharmacogenetics Implementation Consortium drug exposures (P < .01, P < .01, P < .01, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

Preemptive PGx testing in patients in the NICU could have a significant impact on medical management during the NICU stay and throughout early childhood.

Translating Precision Health for Pediatrics: A Scoping Review

Precision health aims to personalize treatment and prevention strategies based on individual genetic differences. While it has significantly improved healthcare for specific patient groups, broader translation faces challenges with evidence development, evidence appraisal, and implementation. These challenges are compounded in child health as existing methods fail to incorporate the physiology and socio-biology unique to childhood. This scoping review synthesizes the existing literature on evidence development, appraisal, prioritization, and implementation of precision child health. PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Embase were searched. The included articles were related to pediatrics, precision health, and the translational pathway. Articles were excluded if they were too narrow in scope. In total, 74 articles identified challenges and solutions for putting pediatric precision health interventions into practice. The literature reinforced the unique attributes of children and their implications for study design and identified major themes for the value assessment of precision health interventions for children, including clinical benefit, cost-effectiveness, stakeholder values and preferences, and ethics and equity. Tackling these identified challenges will require developing international data networks and guidelines, re-thinking methods for value assessment, and broadening stakeholder support for the effective implementation of precision health within healthcare organizations. This research was funded by the SickKids Precision Child Health Catalyst Grant.

Pharmacogenomics: A Step forward Precision Medicine in Childhood Asthma

Personalized medicine, an approach to care in which individual characteristics are used for targeting interventions and maximizing health outcomes, is rapidly becoming a reality for many diseases. Childhood asthma is a heterogeneous disease and many children have uncontrolled symptoms. Therefore, an individualized approach is needed for improving asthma outcomes in children. The rapidly evolving fields of genomics and pharmacogenomics may provide a way to achieve asthma control and reduce future risks in children with asthma. In particular, pharmacogenomics can provide tools for identifying novel molecular mechanisms and biomarkers to guide treatment. Emergent high-throughput technologies, along with patient pheno-endotypization, will increase our knowledge of several molecular mechanisms involved in asthma pathophysiology and contribute to selecting and stratifying appropriate treatment for each patient.

Parental understanding and attitudes following pharmacogenomic testing for pediatric neuropsychiatric patients

Aim: This study explores parental understanding and attitudes around pharmacogenomic results in their child(ren). Patients and methods: In-depth interviews with parents whose child(ren) had received a pharmacogenomic testing panel for management of neuropsychiatric medications were completed. Interviews were analyzed for themes and accuracy of understanding of results. Results: In 18 parents interviewed, 49/63 (78%) of statements made regarding results were accurate. Differences in understanding were seen by clinic, number of medications and result type. Parents expected results to guide prescribing and perceived the greatest utility in results that could impact current care. Results predicting normal drug metabolism may create mixed feelings. Conclusion: Parents perceive utility in pharmacogenomic testing for their children. Challenges exist in understanding probabilistic and multifactorial information about pharmacogenomic results.

Pharmacogenomic testing in paediatrics: clinical implementation strategies

Pharmacogenomics (PGx) relates to the study of genetic factors determining variability in drug response. Implementing PGx testing in paediatric patients can enhance drug safety, helping to improve drug efficacy or reduce the risk of toxicity. Despite its clinical relevance, the implementation of PGx testing in paediatric practice to date has been variable and limited.

As with most paediatric pharmacological studies, there are well‐recognised barriers to obtaining high‐quality PGx evidence, particularly when patient numbers may be small, and off‐label or unlicensed prescribing remains widespread. Furthermore, trials enrolling small numbers of children can rarely, in isolation, provide sufficient PGx evidence to change clinical practice, so extrapolation from larger PGx studies in adult patients, where scientifically sound, is essential.

This review paper discusses the relevance of PGx to paediatrics and considers implementation strategies from a child health perspective. Examples are provided from Canada, the Netherlands and the UK, with consideration of the different healthcare systems and their distinct approaches to implementation, followed by future recommendations based on these cumulative experiences.

Improving the evidence base demonstrating the clinical utility and cost‐effectiveness of paediatric PGx testing will be critical to drive implementation forwards. International, interdisciplinary collaborations will enhance paediatric data collation, interpretation and evidence curation, while also supporting dedicated paediatric PGx educational initiatives. PGx consortia and paediatric clinical research networks will continue to play a central role in the streamlined development of effective PGx implementation strategies to help optimise paediatric pharmacotherapy.

Evaluation of clinical impact of pharmacogenomics knowledge involved in CPIC guidelines on Chinese pediatric patients

Aim: To evaluate the clinical benefits of implementing pharmacogenomics testing for Chinese pediatric patients. Materials & methods : Based on the drug-gene interactions involved in the Clinical Pharmacogenetics Implementation Consortium guidelines, whole-genome sequencing data from the Chinese Academy of Sciences Precision Medicine Initiative project and the medication data of pediatric patients from a children's hospital, the prevalence of the Chinese population with actionable pharmacogenomic variants was calculated, the prescribing pattern for pediatric patients was analyzed. Results: 37.0% of the drugs involved in the Clinical Pharmacogenetics Implementation Consortium guidelines were used by Chinese pediatric patients, 8.91% inpatients and 0.89% outpatients received at least one pharmacogenomics medication, 1.24% (4803) inpatients and 0.16% (2940) outpatients were estimated to be at high risk of pharmacogenomic-related adverse therapeutic outcomes. Conclusion: Implementing pharmacogenomics testing can improve therapeutic outcomes for many Chinese pediatric patients.

European research networks to facilitate drug research in children

Paediatric drug development faces several barriers. These include fragmentation of stakeholders and inconsistent processes during the conduct of research. This review summarises recent efforts to overcome these barriers in Europe. Two exemplar initiatives are described. The European Paediatric Translational Research Infrastructure facilitates preclinical research and other work that underpins clinical trials. conect4children facilitates the design and implementation of clinical trials. Both these initiatives listen to the voices of children and their advocates. Coordination of research needs specific effort that supplements work on science, resources and the policy context.

Pediatric pharmacogenomics: challenges and opportunities: on behalf of the Sanford Children's Genomic Medicine Consortium

The advent of digital, electronic, and molecular technologies has allowed the study of complete genomes. Integrating this information into drug development has opened the door for pharmacogenomic (PGx) interventions in direct patient care. PGx allows clinicians to better identify drug of choice and optimize dosing regimens based on an individual's genetic characteristics. Integrating PGx into pediatric care is a priority for the Sanford Children's Genomic Medicine Consortium, a partnership of ten children's hospitals across the US committed to the innovation and advancement of genomics in pediatric care. In this white paper, we review the current state of PGx research and its clinical utility in pediatrics, a largely understudied population, and make recommendations for advancing cutting-edge practice in pediatrics.

Precision Medicine in Neonates: Future Perspectives for the Lung

Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is the most common complication of pre-term birth with long lasting sequelae. Since its first description more than 50 years ago, many large randomized controlled trials have been conducted, aiming to improve evidence-based knowledge on the optimal strategies to prevent and treat BPD. However, most of these intervention studies have been performed on a population level without regard for the variation in clinical and biological diversity (e.g., gestational age, ethnicity, gender, or disease progression) between patients that is driven by the complex interaction of genetic pre-disposition and environmental exposures. Nevertheless, clinicians provide daily care such as lung protective interventions on an individual basis every day despite the fact that research supporting individualized or precision medicine for monitoring or treating pre-term lungs is immature. This narrative review summarizes four potential developments in pulmonary research that might facilitate the process of individualizing lung protective interventions to prevent development of BPD. Electrical impedance tomography and electromyography of the diaphragm are bedside monitoring tools to assess regional changes in lung volume and ventilation and spontaneous breathing effort, respectively. These non-invasive tools allow a more individualized optimization of invasive and non-invasive respiratory support. Investigation of the genomic variation in caffeine metabolism in pre-term infants can be used to optimize and individualize caffeine dosing regimens. Finally, volatile organic compound analysis in exhaled breath might accurately predict BPD at an early stage of the disease, enabling clinicians to initiate preventive strategies for BPD on an individual basis. Before these suggested diagnostic or monitoring tools can be implemented in daily practice and improve individualized patient care, future research should address and overcome their technical difficulties, perform extensive external validation and show their additional value in preventing BPD.

Efficacy of antiepileptic drugs in the era of pharmacogenomics: A focus on childhood

BACKGROUND

In recent years advances in the field of pharmacogenomics have expanded the concept for more individualized treatments. Our aim is to provide literature data about the relationship between genetic polymorphisms and efficacy of antiepileptic drugs in children.

METHODS

Pubmed was used as the main medical database source. Only original research papers were considered. No year-of-publication restriction was placed. Quality of evidence was assessed according to American Academy of Neurology guidelines.

RESULTS

A total of 12 cross-sectional and case-control studies fulfilled our selection criteria. ABCB1 gene was associated with drug responsiveness in 2 out of 6 studies and ABCC2 gene in 1 out of 1 studies. SCN1A gene was also associated with seizure control in 4 out of 5 studies. Cytochrome P450 genes were found to significantly affect drug responsiveness in 2 out of 4 studies, while polymorphisms of uridinediphosphateglucuronosyltransferaseUGT2B7 gene predisposed to drug-resistance in 1 out of 2 studies.

CONCLUSION

Variability in genes coding for sodium channels, drug transporters and cytochrome P450 enzymes can have a significant impact on response to antiepileptic drugs. Larger prospective studies with better stratification of samples are needed to shed light on these associations.

Precision medicine: a call for increased pharmacogenomic education

Precision medicine is an emerging model of care where providers consider patients' genetic profiles, lifestyles and environments to offer more precise therapy. The potential of precision medicine is boundless as interdisciplinary teams utilize genetic technologies to improve patient outcomes. The integration of precision medicine into healthcare faces many barriers, including a lack of standardization and reimbursement concerns. This article argues that increased pharmacogenetics education and system-wide implementation is necessary to overcome some of these challenges. Extensive expansion of pharmacogenomics education is a step toward producing knowledgeable clinicians who are poised to apply its methodology and champion for patient-centered care.

Pharmacogenetics of inhaled long-acting beta2-agonists in asthma: A systematic review

BACKGROUND

Long-acting beta2-agonists (LABA) are recommended in asthma therapy; however, not all asthma patients respond well to LABA. We performed a systematic review on genetic variants associated with LABA response in patients with asthma.

METHODS

Articles published until April 2017 were searched by two authors using PubMed and EMBASE. Pharmacogenetic studies in patients with asthma and LABA response as an outcome were included.

RESULTS

In total, 33 studies were included in this systematic review; eight focused on children (n = 6051). Nineteen studies were clinical trials, while 14 were observational studies. Studies used different outcomes to define LABA response, for example, lung function measurements (FEV₁ , PEF, MMEF, FVC), exacerbations, quality of life, and asthma symptoms. Most studies (n = 30) focused on the ADRB2 gene, encoding the beta2-adrenergic receptor. Thirty studies (n = 14 874) addressed ADRB2 rs1042713, 7 ADRB2 rs1042714 (n = 1629), and 3 ADRB2 rs1800888 (n = 1892). The association of ADRB2 rs1042713 and rs1800888 with LABA response heterogeneity was successfully replicated. Other variants were only studied in three studies but not replicated. One study focused on the ADCY9 gene. Five studies and a meta-analysis found an increased risk of exacerbations in pediatrics using LABA carrying one or two A alleles (OR 1.52 [1.17; 1.99]). These results were not confirmed in adults.

CONCLUSIONS

ADRB2 rs1042713 variant is most consistently associated with response to LABA in children but not adults. To assess the clinical value of ADRB2 rs1042713 in children with asthma using LABA, a randomized clinical trial with well-defined outcomes is needed.

Pharmacogenomics of Vincristine-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy Implicates Pharmacokinetic and Inherited Neuropathy Genes

Vincristine is an effective chemotherapeutic drug for various cancers, including acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Unfortunately, clinical utility is restricted by dose‐limiting vincristine‐induced peripheral neuropathies (VIPN). We sought to determine the association of VIPN with a recently identified risk variant, CEP72 rs924607, and drug absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME) gene variants in pediatric ALL. This was followed by a meta‐analysis of pharmacogenomic data from over 500 patients. CEP72 rs924607 was significantly associated with VIPN (P = 0.02; odds ratio (OR) = 3.4). ADME analyses identified associations between VIPN and ABCC1 rs3784867 (P = 5.34 × 10⁻⁵; OR = 4.9), and SLC5A7 rs1013940 (P = 9.00 × 10⁻⁴; OR= 8.6); genes involved in vincristine transport and inherited neuropathies, respectively. Meta‐analysis identified an association with a variant related to TTPA (rs10504361: P = 6.85 × 10⁻⁴; OR = 2.0), a heritable neuropathy‐related gene. This study provides essential corroboratory evidence for CEP72 rs924607 and highlights the importance of drug transporter and inherited neuropathy genes in VIPN.

Pharmacogenetics: Applications to Pediatric Patients

Individual genomic differences may affect drug disposition and effects of many drugs, and identification of biomarkers are crucial to personalize dosage and optimize response. In children, developmental changes associated with growth and maturation translate into different relationships between genotype and phenotype and different responses to treatment compared to adults. This review aims to summarize some developmental aspects of pharmacogenetics, based on practical examples.

Optimal predictor for 6-mercaptopurine intolerance in Chinese children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia: NUDT15, TPMT, or ITPA genetic variants?

Background

6-mercaptopurine (6-MP) contributes substantially to remarkable improvement in the survival of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) patients. However, 6-MP also has dose-limiting toxicities, particularly life-threatening myelosuppression, due to genetic polymorphisms in enzymes that metabolize 6-MP. Promising biomarkers for predicting 6-MP-induced leukopenia is still unclear in Chinese population. Here, we evaluated the associations of NUDT15, TPMT and ITPA genotypes with 6-MP intolerance in our cohort of childhood ALL patients.

Methods

A total of 105 Chinese pediatric patients with a confirmed diagnosis of ALL were enrolled. We identified the NUDT15 coding variant rs116855232 (c.415C > T), a newly discovered 6-MP toxicity-related locus in Asians, and polymorphisms in TPMT rs1142345 and ITPA rs11273540. Associations between genotypes and 6-MP dose sensitivity, leukopenia, hepatotoxicity, and therapy interruption were evaluated.

Results

The minor allele frequencies (MAFs) of NUDT15 rs116855232, TPMT rs1142345 and ITPA rs11273540 were 15.7, 2.9, and 18.1%, respectively. NUDT15 and TPMT genetic variants were strongly associated with 6-MP dose intensity. Patients with NUDT15 homogenous genotype (TT) were highly sensitive to 6-MP (dose intensity of 60.27%) compared to these with heterozygous genotype (TC) or wild type (CC), who tolerated an average dose intensity of 83.83 and 94.24%, respectively. The NUDT15 variant was a predictor for leukopenia (OR: 3.62, 95% CI 1.377–9.501, P = 0.009) and early-onset leukopenia (OR: 9.63, 95% CI 2.764–33.514, P = 3.75 × 10^− 4). No differences were found between 6-MP dose intensity and ITPA polymorphisms.

Conclusion

NUDT15 variant is an optimal predictor for 6-MP intolerance in Chinese pediatric ALL patients and may have greatly clinical implications for individualized therapy.

Pharmacogenetics and application in pediatrics

Identification of markers involved in drug disposition is crucial for drugs with a narrow therapeutic index. Individual genomic differences can affect the pharmacology of some drugs and participate to inter-individual variability in drug response. Pharmacogenetics is a useful tool in clinical practice for dosage adjustment and to limit drug toxicities. In pediatrics, physiological changes can also influence the disposition of drugs in infants, children and adolescents. The importance of ontogeny translates into different responses to the same drug in children and adults. Thus, interactions between the maturation of metabolism enzymes or transporters and genetics have a major impact on drug exposure leading to age-specific dosage requirements. This review aims to describe implementation of pharmacogenetics in personalized medicine and specifies pediatric characteristics with ethical considerations.

The role of heterogeneity in asthma: a structure-to-function perspective

A number of methods have evolved through the years in probing the dysfunction that impacts mechanics and ventilation in asthma. What has been consistently found is the notion of heterogeneity that is not only captured in the frequency dependence of lung mechanics measurements but also rendered on imaging as patchy diffuse areas of ventilation defects. The degree of heterogeneity has been linked to airway hyperresponsiveness, a hallmark feature of asthma. How these heterogeneous constriction patterns lead to functional impairment in asthma have only been recently explored using computational airway tree models. By synthesizing measurements of lung mechanics and advances in imaging, computational airway tree models serve as a powerful engine to accelerate our understanding of the physiologic changes that occur in asthma. This review will be focused on the current state of investigational work on the role of heterogeneity in asthma, specifically exploring the structural and functional relationships.

Pharmacogenetic and pharmacogenomic considerations of asthma treatment

INTRODUCTION

Pharmacogenetic and pharmacogenomic approaches are already utilized in some areas, such as oncology and cardiovascular disease, for selecting appropriate patients and/or establishing treatment and dosing guidelines. This is not true in asthma although many patients have different responses to drug treatment due to genetic factors. Areas covered: Several genetic factors that affect the pharmacotherapeutic responses to asthma medications, such as β₂-AR agonists, corticosteroids, and leukotriene modifiers and could contribute to significant between-person variability in response are described. Expert opinion: An expanding number of genetic loci have been associated with therapeutic responses to asthma drugs but the individual effect of one single-nucleotide polymorphism is partial. In fact, epigenetic changes can modify genetic effects in time-, environment-, and tissue-specific manners, genes interact together in networks, and nongenetic components such as environmental exposures, gender, nutrients, and lifestyle can significantly interact with genetics to determine the response to therapy. Therefore, well-designed randomized controlled trials or observational studies are now mandatory to define if response to asthma medications in individual patients can be improved by using pharmacogenetic predictors of treatment response. Meanwhile, routine implementation of pharmacogenetics and pharmacogenomics into clinical practice remains a futuristic, far-off challenge for many clinical practices.

Use of Adult Sensory Panel to Study Individual Differences in the Palatability of a Pediatric HIV Treatment Drug

PURPOSE

The recommended first-line treatment for young children infected with HIV includes the liquid formulation of the co-formulated protease inhibitors lopinavir/ritonavir (Kaletra® [Abbott Laboratories, Chicago, Illinois]). Clinical reports indicate that some children readily accept the taste of Kaletra, whereas others strongly reject it, which can deter therapeutic adherence and outcomes.

METHODS

As a proof-of-concept approach, a sensory panel of genotyped adults was used to document the range of individual differences in the taste and palatability (hedonics) of the liquid formulation of Kaletra and other taste stimuli, including common excipients. Panelists rated taste sensations using generalized labeled magnitude scales to determine genotype-phenotype relationships. Several months later, the panelists were retested to assess response reliability.

FINDINGS

Not all panelists had the same sensory experience when tasting Kaletra. Palatability ratings varied widely, from moderate like to strongest imaginable dislike, and were reliable over time. The more irritating and bitter Kaletra tasted, the more disliked by the panelist. The more they disliked the taste of Kaletra, the more they disliked the taste of its excipient ethanol and the bitter stimulus denatonium. Those who experienced less bitter and sweeter taste sensations had a different genetic signature than the other panelists. Bitterness and irritation ratings of Kaletra varied by the orphaned bitter receptor gene (TAS2R60), whereas sweetness ratings of Kaletra varied according to the cold receptor gene (TRPM8), which is activated by menthol, an excipient of Kaletra. Neither genotype related to ratings for ethanol or denatonium, however.

IMPLICATIONS

The use of a sensory panel holds promise as a first step in determining the nature of individual differences in the palatability of existing pediatric drug formulations and sources of variation. In this era of personalized medicine, the need is great to develop psychophysical tools to determine which drugs will show variation in acceptance by children and whether patterns of individual variation in taste as assessed by adults mirror those of young patients. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01841710.

Pharmacogenomics in pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia: promises and limitations

Despite the significant advances achieved in pediatric acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) treatment, adverse side effects of drugs remain a challenging issue. Numerous ALL pharmacogenomic studies have been conducted to elucidate the predisposing genetic factors for their development. Plausible pharmacogenomic data are available for the osteonecrosis associated with glucocorticoids, the neurotoxicity associated with vincristine and the cardiotoxicity related to anthracyclines. However, these data have not been fully translated into the clinic due to several limitations, most importantly the lack of reliable evidence. The most robust pharmacogenomics data are those for thiopurines and methotrexate use, with evidence-based preemptive testing recommendations for the former. Pharmacogenomics has a significant potential utility in pediatric ALL treatment regimens. In this review, gaps and limitations in this field are emphasized, which may provide a useful guide for future research design.

Adverse Drug Reactions in Children: The Double-Edged Sword of Therapeutics

Adverse drug reactions (ADRs) represent a major health problem worldwide, with high morbidity and mortality rates. ADRs are classified into Type A (augmented) and Type B (bizarre) ADRs, with the former group being more common and the latter less common but often severe and clinically more problematic due to their unpredictable nature and occurrence at any dose. Pediatric populations are especially vulnerable to ADRs due to the lack of data for this age group from the drug development process and because of the wide use of off-label and unlicensed use of drugs. Children are more prone to specific types of ADRs because of the level of maturity of body systems involved in absorption, metabolism, transportation, and elimination of drugs. This state-of-the-art review provides an overview of definitions, classifications, epidemiology, and pathophysiology of ADRs and discusses the available evidence for related risk factors and causes of ADRs in the pediatric population.