Pesticide dose based on canopy characteristics in apple trees: Reducing environmental risk by reducing the amount of pesticide while maintaining pest and disease control efficacy

Although many different designed air-assisted sprayers can be used for pesticide application in apple orchards, the lack of adequate adjustments according to specific crop characteristics leads to application inefficiencies and failures. To evaluate the spray coverage and biological efficacy of different application techniques combined with an alternative dosage adjustment based on tree row volume (TRV), field tests with five different techniques were carried out at three crop stages on a commercial apple orchard. The results showed that conventional mist-blower with a high application volume (800 L ha^-1) exhibited an excessive coverage with a high risk of contamination at the early crop stage (BBCH19), whereas other treatments using different application techniques, with a reduced volume rate and pesticide dose of 75%, were equivalent with good uniformity, revealing the great importance of suitable adjustment for the sprayers. For the middle and late stages (BBCH64 and 75), the orchard sprayer equipped with vertical booms provided the maximum coverage, and the pneumatic sprayer achieved significantly higher impacts density, which revealed their advantages and high efficiency for dense apple trees. The newly developed multi-fan sprayer and pneumatic sprayer achieved consistent coverage during the entire crop stage, independent of the changes in canopy structure (TRV). This indicates that a suitable setting and adjustment of the sprayer can contribute to a consistent spray quality. In general, benefiting from these new spraying technologies, an average reduction of 60.7% in pesticide dose and volume rate were achieved within the entire season, maintaining the same threshold of pest and disease control as that of the higher reference dose normally applied. These results demonstrate the importance of an alternative dose adjustment method to meet the requirements of the Farm to Fork strategy.

Favorable survival with combined treatment in a metastatic breast cancer patient undergoing hemodialysis: A case report

INTRODUCTION

Management of breast cancer patients undergoing hemodialysis (HD) is difficult because of a lack of evidence about drug selection, dose adjustment, and surgical procedures. We herein present a case of metastatic breast cancer in a patient undergoing HD.

PRESENTATION OF CASE

A 58-year-old Japanese woman with breast cancer undergoing HD underwent total mastectomy of the left breast and left axillary dissection. Histopathological examination revealed invasive ductal carcinoma, and the diagnosis was pT2N3cM0 Stage ⅢC. Immunostaining of the resected specimen indicated that the tumor was estrogen receptor-positive, progesterone receptor-negative, human epithelial growth factor receptor 2-positive, and the Ki-67 labeling index was 70%. A postoperative positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) scan indicated fluorodeoxyglucose uptake in the supraclavicular nodes. She received adjuvant therapy of epirubicin and cyclophosphamide followed by docetaxel, trastuzumab (T-mab) and radiation therapy. However, she developed multiple liver metastases during adjuvant T-mab and hormone therapy. Therefore, her regimen was changed to trastuzumab emtansine (T-DM1) as first-line therapy, T-mab, pertuzumab (P-mab), and eribulin as second-line therapy, and T-mab, P-mab, and weekly paclitaxel as third-line therapy. Eventually, she was administered fourth-line treatment of T-mab, P-mab, and vinorelbine because of adverse events. She has survived more than 25 months after the initial detection of recurrence of breast cancer and maintained quality of life.

CONCLUSION

We report a case of breast cancer in a patient undergoing HD. It is very difficult to identify the appropriate drugs and dosages in patients undergoing HD to improve survival and quality of life.

Adjustments of medication dosages in patients with renal impairment in Botswana; findings and implications to improve patient care

Background and aims: Medication dosage adjustments for renally impaired patients have not been studied in Botswana. This study was conducted to determine prescribing practices among patients with renal impairment in medical wards to improve future patient care.Methods: We conducted a retrospective study involving medical charts of patients admitted at a tertiary level hospital in Gaborone Botswana. Study participants included all patients admitted between August and October 2016 who were hospitalized for ≥24 h. 'Drug prescribing in renal failure: dosing guidelines for adults and children'. was used to determine the extent of dosage adjustments. A logistic regression model was used to assess which patient factors were associated with inappropriate dosage adjustment.Results: Twenty-nine percent (233/804) of patients had renal impairment. Of these, 184 patients with renal impairment were included in the final analysis. There were 1143 prescription entries, of which 20.5% (n = 234) required dosage adjustment for renal function but only 45.7% (n = 107) were adjusted correctly. Of note, 112 patients were prescribed at least one drug that required dosage adjustment and only 30.4% (n = 34) patients had all of their medications appropriately adjusted. Patient factors associated with inappropriate dosage adjustment included a higher number of medicines being prescribed. Mortality among patients with renal impairment was independently associated with higher scores of the Charlson comorbidity index and hospital stay duration of 1-7 days.Conclusion: The renal function status of patients was not sufficiently taken into account when prescribing medicines especially in patients with severely impaired kidney function in Botswana. Continuous medical education needs to be encouraged to address this, which is being implemented. We will be following this up in future studies.

[Prevention of iatrogenic risk and screening of chronic kidney disease]

Ten percent of the world's population is affected by chronic kidney disease that can lead to kidney failure. In France, nearly three million people are concerned, half of whom are undiagnosed, 85,000 people are on dialysis or waiting for a kidney transplant. Each year, 11,000 new diagnoses of severe renal failure are made, one third of which had not been treated before. Kidney failure is constantly increasing due to the aging of the population and the resurgence of chronic diseases, including obesity and cardiovascular diseases such as high blood pressure and diabetes, two conditions that impair renal function. The pharmacist, a local actor, is well placed to help patients adhere to their treatment and manage it to the best of their quality of life. It is up to the pharmacist to check the dosages according to the degree of renal involvement, ideally noted on the prescription or, failing that, by asking the patient the results of his recent biological examinations. The consultation of the pharmaceutical file and, ultimately, the shared medical file, will make it possible, in a concerted management of the patient's care pathway, to also detect possible drug interactions. By dispensing the prescribed drugs, the pharmacist can also warn against those known to be known for their nephrotoxicity, especially nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. In the case of over-the-counter products, the pharmacist may discourage a person at risk from taking certain drugs containing nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, including aspirin and ibuprofen. Because of their potential renal toxicity, the pharmacist is competent to alert, especially on certain food supplements, herbal products, and is legitimate to participate in screening campaigns.

Use of renal risk drugs in a nation-wide Polish older adult population: an analysis of PolSenior database

BACKGROUND

Numerous medications should be avoided, or require dose adjustment in subjects with impaired kidney function. We aimed to assess the prevalence of potentially inappropriate use of renal risk drugs in a nation-wide, community-dwelling Polish older adult population.

METHODS

We analysed regular intake of 38 medications that should be avoided, requiring dose modification, increase the risk of pre-renal kidney injury, or may cause potassium retention in subjects with moderately to severely impaired renal function in the PolSenior data base (N = 4514, mean age 76 ± 11 yrs). Kidney function was assessed with short Modification of Diet in Renal Disease formula estimated glomerular filtration rate (sMDRD) and Cockcroft-Gault creatinine clearance (CC).

RESULTS

There were 855 (19%) individuals with sMDRD < 60 ml/min/1.73m2, and 1734 (38%) with CC <  60 ml/min. Among drugs that should be avoided, spironolactone (20.4% of patients as classified by sMDRD and 17.5% by CC), non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (13.4 and 11.3%), hydrochlorothiazide (11.1 and 11.0%), and metformin (6.9 and 8.2%) were most frequently used. The most frequently used drugs requiring dose modification were piracetam (13.9% by sMDRD, and 11.9% by CC), digoxin (8.3 and 8.8%), and gliclazide (6.8 and 5.9%). Classification of a drug use as 'appropriate' or 'inappropriate' was discordant depending on the method of kidney function assessment (sMDRD or CC) in up to 30%. Subgroups with sMDRD < 60 ml/min/1.73m2 and with CC <  60 ml/min were taking ≥2 drugs increasing the risk of pre-renal kidney injury more frequently than individuals with better kidney function (46.6 vs. 23.1 and 33.0% vs. 24.4%, respectively). There were 24.7% of individuals with sMDRD < 60 ml/min/1.73m2 and 18.0% with CC <  60 ml/min taking 2 or more drugs increasing serum potassium level. The proportion of subjects with hyperkalaemia increased with the number of such drugs.

CONCLUSIONS

Use of drugs that should be avoided or require dose adjustment due to renal impairment, and potentially inappropriate drug combinations is a common problem in older adults in Poland. Assessment of kidney function with sMDRD may result in overlooking of requirements for dose adjustment formulated based on creatinine clearance.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Not applicable.

Dosage adjustments in pivotal clinical trials with oral targeted therapies in solid tumors conducted in Europe

PURPOSE

The aim of this study was to evaluate in what measure is dosage adjustment particularly prevalent in pivotal clinical trials of oral targeted therapy drugs approved by the European Medicine Agency as of July 31, 2018, for the treatment of solid tumors.

METHODS

We performed a search on the official EMA site on human medicines, using as Keyword Search the ATC Code L01X (other antineoplastic agents); from the list of drugs results, we subsequently excluded antineoplastic drugs for hematological diseases, as well as refused and withdrawn drugs. For all analyzed drugs, we recorded full dosages, dose adjustments with relative reduction percentage, reason for the adjustments, number of patients included in the trial, percentage of patients who reduced their dosage or temporarily discontinued therapy, cause of dose reduction, and presence or absence of reference to a clinical outcome in patients who reduced their dose or discontinued therapy.

RESULTS

We considered 74 pivotal trials on 29 target therapies, of which 56 (76%) provide information on dosage reduction, 41 (55%) on therapy suspension, and 29 (39%) on the dose taken by the sample. Trials that provide information on dosage adjustment include reduction and suspension data widely used to manage side effects; they concern, respectively, 32 and 44% of the samples considered. No trial results take account of the possible role of adjustment in clinical outcomes.

CONCLUSION

It would be advisable for pivotal clinical trials to give more relevance to dose management, which is a widely used tool for the management of adverse events in clinical practice. To date, such information is lacking.

Empirically Reduced Dosages of Tinzaparin in Patients with Moderate-to-Severe Renal Insufficiency Lead to Inadequate Anti-Xa Levels

BACKGROUND

Due to the higher molecular weight of tinzaparin, the low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) is less dependent on renal excretion than other LMWH preparations. However, several international guidelines recommend the same preemptive dosage reduction for all therapeutic dose LMWHs prescribed in renal insufficient patients, to ensure that there is no accumulation of anticoagulant activity and increased risk of bleeding. This study is aimed at assessing whether a preemptive dosage reduction of tinzaparin in all renal insufficient patients (comprising 25% reduction in patients with Modification of Diet in Renal Disease - estimated glomerular filtration rate (MDRD-eGFR) 30-60 mL/min/1.73 m2 and 50% reduction in patients with MDRD-eGFR <30 mL/min/1.73 m2) leads to adequate anti-Xa levels.

METHODS

We selected the anti-Xa levels of in-hospital patients (≥18 years) with moderate-to-severe renal insufficiency (MDRD-eGFR <60 mL/min/1.73 m2), on therapeutic dosages of tinzaparin. Anti-Xa levels were measured using a chromogenic assay.

RESULTS

Preemptive dosage reduction resulted in a median anti-Xa activity of 0.50 IU/mL (interquartile range [IQR] 0.38-0.60). In 92.3% of patients the anti-Xa level was below the target anti-Xa level of >0.85 IU/mL for therapeutic indications. Unadjusted dosages led to a median anti-Xa activity of 0.74 IU/mL (IQR 0.56-0.92). The preemptive dosage reduction was significantly associated with anti-Xa activity below therapeutic range (p = 0.007). No difference in anti-Xa activity was observed between patients with moderate (0.71 IU/mL, IQR 0.61-0.95) versus severe (0.65 IU/mL, IQR 0.41-1.06) renal insufficiency in whom an unadjusted dose had been administered (p = 0.77). None of the anti-Xa levels were above the upper margin of the presumed therapeutic range of 2.0 IU/mL.

CONCLUSION

In renal insufficient patients, the preemptive dosage reduction of tinzaparin leads to inadequate anti-Xa levels.

[Dosing adjustment and renal function: Which equation(s)?]

While the CKD-EPI (for Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology) equation is now implemented worldwide, utilization of the Cockcroft formula is still advocated by some physicians for drug dosage adjustment. Justifications for this recommendation are that the Cockcroft formula was preferentially used to determine dose adjustments according to renal function during the development of many drugs, better predicts drugs-related adverse events and decreases the risk of drug overexposure in the elderly. In this opinion paper, we discuss the weaknesses of the rationale supporting the Cockcroft formula and endorse the French HAS (Haute Autorité de santé) recommendation regarding the preferential use of the CKD-EPI equation. When glomerular filtration rate (GFR) is estimated in order to adjust drug dosage, the CKD-EPI value should be re-expressed for the individual body surface area (BSA). Given the difficulty to accurately estimate GFR in the elderly and in individuals with extra-normal BSA, we recommend to prescribe in priority monitorable drugs in those populations or to determine their "true" GFR using a direct measurement method.

[Drug dosage adjustment in patients with renal impairment and evaluation of renal function: focus on the cardiologic patients]

Chronic kidney disease is a progressive disease which has become a real public health issue. In patients with renal disease, drugs pharmacokinetics may be altered. The handling of drugs requires a special attention in these patients. Indeed, there is a risk of accumulation and drug overdose if dosage is not adjusted to the stage of renal insufficiency. Thus, to achieve a dosage adjustment knowing how to evaluate renal function is absolutely necessary. Different formulae are available including the Cockcroft and Gault formula aMDRD and CKD-EPI. In patients with cardiac issues, it appears that the CKD-EPI formula is that of choice in terms of clinical risk stratification. However, some summaries of product characteristics (SmPC) of drugs used in cardiology, such as Dabigatran(®), mention the need to use the Cockcroft-Gault, less accurate than aMDRD and CKD-EPI, in order to adjust the dose in patients with impaired renal function. Standardization of recommendations is necessary to limit disparities in dosage and drug exposure according to the formula. SmPCs however, are not the only source of information to obtain data on the use of drugs in the renal insufficient population. Some other information sources exist, reliable, updated and easily accessible.

The rate of antibiotic dosage adjustment in renal dysfunction

The purpose of this study was to determine the number of prescribed antibiotics being appropriately adjusted and to assess antibiotics with the highest incorrect dosing based on the patient's renal function according to distinguished guidelines. The study was conducted at a 446-bed university hospital. One hundred and fifty patients admitted through different wards of the hospital were included in the study. Demographic data were extracted and creatinine clearance was calculated using either Cockcroft-Gault (C&G) or Modification of Diet in Renal Disease (MDRD) formula. In patients with creatinine clearances less than 50 mL/min, antibiotic dosages were compared with guideline dose recommendations to judge whether they were correctly adjusted. Two hundreds and ninety-one instructions (79.9%) of 364 antibiotic prescriptions required dosage adjustment based on the patient's renal condition. These adjustments were rationally performed in 43.7% and 61.4% of prescriptions, according to the two guidelines used. Ciprofloxacin (29.1% of cases), and vancomycin (33.6% of cases), were the most inappropriate prescribed antibiotics in terms of dose administration. Drug dosing adjustments should be emphasized in patients with renal dysfunction. Failure to do so may lead to higher morbidity and mortality as well as therapeutic costs. Estimating creatinine clearance prior to drug ordering and use of a reliable dosing guideline is highly recommended.