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Kado J, Salman S, Hand R, O'Brien M, Ralph A, Bowen AC, Page-Sharp M, Batty KT, Dolman V, Francis JR, Carapetis J, Manning L. Population pharmacokinetic study of benzathine penicillin G administration in Indigenous children and young adults with rheumatic heart disease in the Northern Territory, Australia. J Antimicrob Chemother 2022; 77:2679-2682. [PMID: 35822635 DOI: 10.1093/jac/dkac231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2022] [Accepted: 06/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Benzathine penicillin G (BPG) is the cornerstone of secondary prophylaxis to prevent Streptococcus pyogenes infections, which precede acute rheumatic fever (ARF). The paucity of pharmacokinetic (PK) data from children and adolescents from populations at the highest risk of ARF and rheumatic heart disease (RHD) poses a challenge for determining the optimal dosing and frequency of injections and undermines efforts to develop improved regimens. METHODS We conducted a 6 month longitudinal PK study of young people receiving BPG for secondary prophylaxis. Throat and skin swabs were collected for microbiological culture along with dried blood spot (DBS) samples for penicillin concentrations. DBSs were assayed using LC-MS/MS. Penicillin concentration datasets were analysed using non-linear mixed-effects modelling and simulations performed using published BMI-for-age and weight-for-age data. RESULTS Nineteen participants provided 75 throat swabs, 3 skin swabs and 216 penicillin samples. Throat cultures grew group C and G Streptococcus. Despite no participant maintaining penicillin concentration >20 ng/mL between doses, there were no S. pyogenes throat infections and no ARF. The median (range) observed durations >20 ng/mL for the low- and high-BMI groups were 14.5 (11.0-24.25) and 15.0 (7.5-18.25) days, respectively. CONCLUSIONS Few patients at highest risk of ARF/RHD receiving BPG for secondary prophylaxis maintain penicillin concentrations above the target of 20 ng/mL beyond 2 weeks during each monthly dosing interval. These PK data suggest that some high-risk individuals may get inadequate protection from every 4 week dosing. Future research should explore this gap in knowledge and PK differences between different populations to inform future dosing schedules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph Kado
- Wesfarmers Centre for Vaccines and Infectious Diseases, Telethon Kids Institute, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia.,Medical School, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Sam Salman
- Wesfarmers Centre for Vaccines and Infectious Diseases, Telethon Kids Institute, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia.,Medical School, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia.,Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology Unit, PathWest, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Robert Hand
- Wesfarmers Centre for Vaccines and Infectious Diseases, Telethon Kids Institute, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia.,Department of Infectious Diseases, Royal Perth Hospital, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Margaret O'Brien
- Danila Dilba Health Service, Darwin, NT, Australia.,National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, Australia National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia.,Global and Tropical Health Division, Menzies School of Health Research, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, NT, Australia
| | - Anna Ralph
- Global and Tropical Health Division, Menzies School of Health Research, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, NT, Australia.,Department of Infectious Diseases, Royal Darwin Hospital, Darwin, NT, Australia
| | - Asha C Bowen
- Wesfarmers Centre for Vaccines and Infectious Diseases, Telethon Kids Institute, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia.,Medical School, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia.,Department of Infectious Diseases, Perth Children's Hospital, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Madhu Page-Sharp
- Curtin Medical School, Curtin University, Bentley, WA, Australia
| | - Kevin T Batty
- Curtin Medical School, Curtin University, Bentley, WA, Australia
| | - Veronica Dolman
- Medical School, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Joshua R Francis
- Global and Tropical Health Division, Menzies School of Health Research, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, NT, Australia.,Department of Infectious Diseases, Royal Darwin Hospital, Darwin, NT, Australia
| | - Jonathan Carapetis
- Wesfarmers Centre for Vaccines and Infectious Diseases, Telethon Kids Institute, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia.,Medical School, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia.,Curtin Medical School, Curtin University, Bentley, WA, Australia
| | - Laurens Manning
- Wesfarmers Centre for Vaccines and Infectious Diseases, Telethon Kids Institute, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia.,Medical School, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia.,Department of Infectious Diseases, Fiona Stanley Hospital, Perth, WA, Australia
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Kotit S, Phillips DIW, Afifi A, Yacoub M. The "Cairo Accord"- Towards the Eradication of RHD: An Update. Front Cardiovasc Med 2021; 8:690227. [PMID: 34277735 PMCID: PMC8282907 DOI: 10.3389/fcvm.2021.690227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2021] [Accepted: 06/07/2021] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Rheumatic heart disease (RHD) is the most common cause of acquired heart disease in children and young adults. It continues to be prevalent in many low- and middle-income countries where it causes significant morbidity and mortality. Following the 2017 Cairo conference "Rheumatic Heart Disease: from Molecules to the Global Community," experts from 21 countries formulated an approach for addressing the problem of RHD: "The Cairo Accord on Rheumatic Heart Disease." The Accord attempts to set policy priorities for the eradication of acute rheumatic fever (ARF) and RHD and builds on a recent series of policy initiatives and calls to action. We present an update on the recommendations of the Cairo Accord and discuss recent progress toward the eradication of RHD, including contributions from our own Aswan Rheumatic Heart Disease Registry (ARGI).
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Affiliation(s)
| | - David I. W. Phillips
- Developmental Origins of Health and Disease Division, University of Southampton, Southampton General Hospital, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | | | - Magdi Yacoub
- Aswan Heart Centre, Aswan, Egypt
- Heart Science Centre, National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
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High risk of early sub-therapeutic penicillin concentrations after intramuscular benzathine penicillin G injections in Ethiopian children and adults with rheumatic heart disease. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2021; 15:e0009399. [PMID: 34115748 PMCID: PMC8195421 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0009399] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2020] [Accepted: 04/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Intramuscular benzathine penicillin G (BPG) injections are a cornerstone of secondary prophylaxis to prevent acute rheumatic fever (ARF) and rheumatic heart disease (RHD). Uncertainties regarding inter-ethnic and preparation variability, and target exposure profiles of BPG injection are key knowledge gaps for RHD control. Methods To evaluate BPG pharmacokinetics (PK) in patients receiving 4-weekly doses in Ethiopia, we conducted a prospective cohort study of ARF/RHD patients attending cardiology outpatient clinics. Serum samples were collected weekly for one month after injection and assayed with a liquid chromatography-mass spectroscopy assay. Concentration-time datasets for BPG were analyzed by nonlinear mixed effects modelling using NONMEM. Results A total of 190 penicillin concentration samples from 74 patients were included in the final PK model. The median age, weight, BMI was 21 years, 47 kg and 18 kg/m2, respectively. When compared with estimates derived from Indigenous Australian patients, the estimate for median (95% confidence interval) volume of distribution (V/F) was lower (54.8 [43.9–66.3] l.70kg-1) whilst the absorption half-life (t1/2-abs2) was longer (12.0 [8.75–17.7] days). The median (IQR) percentage of time where the concentrations remained above 20 ng/mL and 10 ng/mL within the 28-day treatment cycle was 42.5% (27.5–60) and 73% (58.5–99), respectively. Conclusions The majority of Ethiopian patients receiving BPG as secondary prophylaxis to prevent RHD do not attain target concentrations for more than two weeks during each 4-weekly injection cycle, highlighting the limitations of current BPG strategies. Between-population variation, together with PK differences between different preparations may be important considerations for ARF/RHD control programs. Rheumatic heart disease (RHD) is the most common form of acquired heart disease in Ethiopia across all age groups. Monthly benzathine penicillin G (BPG) injections remains the cornerstone of secondary prophylaxis to prevent recurrent acute rheumatic fever (ARF) and progression to RHD, but data supporting the optimal dose and timing of BPG injections is a major knowledge gap for National RHD control programs, particularly amongst the highest risk groups. In this study we measured penicillin concentrations in Ethiopian patients receiving regular BPG injections. It demonstrates that that most Ethiopian patients receiving BPG as secondary prophylaxis to prevent RHD do not maintain target concentrations for more than two weeks during each 4-weekly injection cycle. This study highlights the limitation of the current BPG dosing recommendations and underpin global calls for improved penicillin formulations and better dosing and delivery strategies.
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