Publications by authors named "Bowker K"

Article Synopsis
  • - The study aimed to analyze how the antibiotics minocycline, rifampicin, and linezolid perform in treating infections caused by MRSA in a population setting, using pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics data.
  • - Researchers collected samples during a Phase 4 trial, comparing the effectiveness of oral minocycline plus rifampicin against linezolid, finding minocycline plus rifampicin to be just as effective as linezolid.
  • - Despite most patients meeting the drug concentration targets for effective treatment, the study concluded that the pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic measurements did not correlate with clinical outcomes, meaning the expected model did not predict how well patients would respond to the treatment.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Objectives: To define the in vitro pharmacodynamics of taniborbactam against Enterobacterales with CTXM-15, KPC, AmpC, and OXA-48 β-lactamases.

Methods: An in vitro pharmacokinetic model was used to simulate serum concentrations associated with cefepime 2G by 1 h infusion 8 h. Taniborbactam was given in exposure ranging and fractionation simulations.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Introduction: Smoking during pregnancy is harmful to unborn babies, infants and women. Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) is offered as the usual stop-smoking support in the UK. However, this is often used in insufficient doses, intermittently or for too short a time to be effective.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

This study aimed to characterise antibiotic prescribing and dispensing patterns in rural health facilities in China and determine the community prevalence of antibiotic resistance. We investigated patterns and drivers of antibiotic use for common respiratory and urinary tract infections (RTI/UTI) in community settings, examined relationships between presenting symptoms, clinical diagnosis and microbiological results in rural outpatient clinics, and assessed potential for using patient records to monitor antibiotic use. This interdisciplinary mixed methods study included: (i) Observations and exit interviews in eight village clinics and township health centres and 15 retail pharmacies; (ii) Urine, throat swab and sputum samples from patients to identify potential pathogens and test susceptibility; (iii) 103 semi-structured interviews with doctors, patients, pharmacy workers and antibiotic-purchasing customers; (iv) Assessment of completeness and accuracy of electronic patient records through comparison with observational data.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Introduction: Improving adherence to nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) in pregnancy may result in higher smoking cessation rates. Informed by the Necessities and Concerns Framework, we developed an intervention targeting pregnancy NRT adherence. To evaluate this, we derived the NRT in pregnancy necessities and concerns questionnaire (NiP-NCQ), which measures perceived need for NRT and concerns about potential consequences.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: There is surprisingly little comparative published data on the bactericidal action of different sub-classes of β-lactams against aerobic Gram-negative rods, and the assumption is that all behave in the same way.

Objectives: To describe a systematic investigation of a representative penicillin, cephalosporin, monobactam and carbapenem against Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Methods: Concentration-time-kill curves (TKC) were determined for three strains each of E.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Our primary aim was to test whether cattle-associated fluoroquinolone-resistant (FQ-R) Escherichia coli found on dairy farms are closely phylogenetically related to those causing bacteriuria in humans living in the same 50 × 50 km geographical region suggestive of farm-human sharing. Another aim was to identify risk factors for the presence of FQ-R E. coli on dairy farms.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Introduction: There is limited information about longitudinal patterns of vaping during pregnancy and the postpartum. We describe the prevalence, frequency, and reasons for vaping throughout pregnancy and postpartum. We also describe temporal patterns in pregnant women's vaping.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Tetracyclines are widely used as oral therapy of MRSA infection, however, the pharmacodynamic underpinning is absent.

Objectives: We employed an in vitro pharmacokinetic model to study the pharmacodynamics of minocycline alone and in combination with rifampicin.

Methods: An exposure-ranging design was used to establish fAUC/MIC targets for static, -1 log drop and -2 log drop effects against Staphylococcus aureus for minocycline and in combination with rifampicin.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: This paper tries to describe prevalence and patterns of antibiotics prescription and bacteria detection and sensitivity to antibiotics in rural China and implications for future antibiotic stewardship.

Methods: The study was implemented in one village clinic and one township health center in each of four rural residential areas in Anhui Province, China. It used mixed-methods comprising non-participative observations, exit-survey and microbiological study.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: The pharmacodynamics of omadacycline have been extensively studied against Gram-positive pathogens but less information is available for Gram-negative pathogens. We describe the pre-clinical pharmacodynamics of omadacycline against Escherichia coli and Acinetobacter baumannii.

Methods: An in vitro dilutional pharmacokinetic model was used.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Objective: To estimate prevalence of vaping in pregnancy. Compare characteristics and attitudes between exclusive smokers and vapers, and between exclusive vapers and dual users (smoke and vape).

Design: Cross-sectional survey.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

E-cigarettes may have a role in supporting pregnant women who would otherwise smoke to stop smoking. The study aimed to understand pregnant women's vaping experiences, in particular how vaping to stop smoking is facilitated and how barriers to this are overcome. We conducted semi structured telephone interviews ( = 15) with pregnant or postpartum women who vaped during pregnancy, either exclusively ( = 10) or dual-used ( = 5) (smoked and vaped).

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) delivers nicotine without the toxic chemicals present in tobacco smoke. It is an effective smoking cessation aid in non-pregnant smokers, but there is less evidence of effectiveness in pregnancy. Systematic review evidence suggests that pregnant women do not adhere to NRT as prescribed, which might undermine effectiveness.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Objectives: The pharmacodynamics of intravenous fosfomycin have not been described for Gram-positive pathogens such as Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). This paper described the dominant pharmacodynamic index for fosfomycin against S.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Limited research exists on interest in and use of smoking cessation support in pregnancy and postpartum.

Methods: A longitudinal cohort of pregnant smokers and recent ex-smokers were recruited in Nottinghamshire, United Kingdom (N = 850). Data were collected at 8-26 weeks gestation, 34-36 weeks gestation, and 3 months postpartum and used as three cross-sectional surveys.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Use of pharmacodynamic in vitro models provides more clinically relevant information about the activities of antibiotics than static endpoints. Several models are used to simulate pharmacokinetics by dilution of the medium. It is discussed whether this procedure would result in a washout of bacteria, particularly if profiles with a short half-life are simulated.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Objectives: Third-generation cephalosporin-resistant Escherichia coli from community-acquired urinary tract infections are increasingly reported worldwide. We sought to determine and characterize the mechanisms of cefotaxime resistance employed by urinary E. coli obtained from primary care, over 12 months, in Bristol and surrounding counties in South-West England.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Introduction: This study aims to investigate patterns of antibiotic treatment-seeking, describe current levels of and drivers for antibiotic use for common infections (respiratory tract and urinary tract infections) and test the feasibility of determining the prevalence and epidemiology of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in rural areas of Anhui province, in order to identify potential interventions to promote antibiotic stewardship and reduce the burden of AMR in China.

Methods And Analysis: We will conduct direct observations, structured and semistructured interviews in retail pharmacies, village clinics and township health centres to investigate treatment-seeking and antibiotic use. Clinical isolates from 1550 sputum, throat swab and urine samples taken from consenting patients at village and township health centres will be analysed to identify bacterial pathogens and ascertain antibiotic susceptibilities.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The new aminoglycoside plazomicin shows in vitro potency against multidrug-resistant Enterobacteriales. The exposure-response relationship of plazomicin and the comparator aminoglycoside amikacin was determined for Escherichia coli, while for Klebsiella pneumoniae only plazomicin was tested. An in vitro pharmacokinetic model was used.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Objectives: We assessed the antibacterial effect of human simulations of dosing with imipenem/relebactam (with or without amikacin) on Enterobacteriaceae or Pseudomonas aeruginosa over 7 or 14 day antibiotic exposures.

Methods: An in vitro pharmacokinetic model was used to assess changes in bacterial load and population profiles.

Results: Imipenem/relebactam produced an initial >4 log drop in viable counts followed by suppression for 7 days for Enterobacteriaceae whether the strain was WT, produced KPC enzymes or produced an AmpC enzyme with porin loss.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: International guidelines recommend that following an early-pregnancy 'opt-out' referral for smoking cessation support, pregnant women who smoke should also be offered referrals at subsequent antenatal appointments ('opt-in' referrals). We assessed feasibility and acceptability of introducing 'opt-in' self-referral forms to stop smoking services (SSS) in antenatal clinics.

Method: A 'before-after' service evaluation and qualitative interviews.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF