Pharmacokinetic Variability and Target Attainment of Fluconazole in Critically Ill Patients.

: Fluconazole is one of the oldest antifungal drugs. Previous studies have raised concerns considering variability in exposure and inadequate target attainment in critically ill patients. The current study aims to define variability and target attainment for fluconazole exposure in a large group of critically ill patients.

Validation of an UHPLC/DAD method for the determination of cannabinoids in seized materials: Analysis of 213 samples sold in Belgian CBD shops.

Purpose: Nowadays, (-)-cannabidiol (CBD) is gaining popularity for the treatment of various problems and can be found easily in many stores in Belgium. However, such product must comply with the law: if the total tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) content [(-)-Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol + (-)-Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinolic acid A (THC-A)] is higher than 0.2%, it is considered as narcotic by the Belgian legislation.

Site-, Technique-, and Time-Related Aspects of the Postmortem Redistribution of Diazepam, Methadone, Morphine, and their Metabolites: Interest of Popliteal Vein Blood Sampling.

Sampling site, technique, and time influence postmortem drug concentrations. In 57 cases, we studied drug concentration differences as follows: subclavian vein-dissection/clamping versus blind stick, femoral vein-dissection/clamping versus blind stick, right cardiac chamber, and popliteal vein-dissection and clamping only. Cases were distributed in group #1 (all cases with both techniques), group #2 (dissection/clamping), and group #3 (blind stick).

Postmortem Concentration and Redistribution of Diazepam, Methadone, and Morphine with Subclavian and Femoral Vein Dissection/Clamping.

Postmortem redistribution (PMR) concerns blood drug concentration variations after death, depending on many factors such as sampling site and technique. In our study, we focused on sampling method. 30 cases were sampled, each at cardiac, subclavian, femoral, and popliteal sites.

Popliteal Vein Blood Sampling and the Postmortem Redistribution of Diazepam, Methadone, and Morphine.

Postmortem redistribution (PMR) refers to the site- and time-related blood drug concentration variations after death. We compared central blood (cardiac and subclavian) with peripheral blood (femoral and popliteal) concentrations of diazepam, methadone, and morphine. To our knowledge, popliteal blood has never been compared with other sites.

Modelled target attainment after meropenem infusion in patients with severe nosocomial pneumonia: the PROMESSE study.

Objectives: The objective of this study was to propose an optimal treatment regimen of meropenem in critically ill patients with severe nosocomial pneumonia.

Patients And Methods: Among 55 patients in intensive care treated with 1 g of meropenem every 8 h for severe nosocomial pneumonia, 30 were assigned to intermittent infusion (II; over 0.5 h) and 25 to extended infusion (EI; over 3 h) groups.

Identification and structural elucidation of four cannabimimetic compounds (RCS-4, AM-2201, JWH-203 and JWH-210) in seized products.

Since 2008, herbal mixtures with synthetic cannabinoid compounds have been sold as incense throughout the world. Although these new drugs are labeled as not for human consumption, these products are smoked for their cannabis-like effects. This study reports the structural and spectral elucidation of four cannabimimetic compounds seized in Belgium: (4-methoxyphenyl)-1-(pentyl-1H-indol-3-yl)methanone (RCS-4), 1-(5-fluoropentyl)-3-(1-naphtoyl)indole (AM-2201), 2-(2-chlorophenyl)-1-(1-pentylindol-3-yl)ethanone (JWH-203) and 4-ethylnaphthalen-1-yl-(1-pentylindol-3-yl)methanone (JWH-210).

Ultra-performance liquid chromatography- tandem mass spectrometry method for the determination of bupropion and its main metabolites in human whole blood.

A selective and sensitive ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC)-electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry (MS) method for simultaneous determination of bupropion and its main metabolites, hydroxybupropion, erythrohydrobupropion, and threohydrobupropion, in human whole blood is presented. The sample preparation consists of cleanup protein precipitation with methanol combined with a solid-phase extraction on Oasis HLB cartridges. Analytes were separated on a Waters Acquity UPLC((R)) BEH phenyl column using a binary mobile phase consisting of ammonium formate buffer (2 mM, pH 4) and acetonitrile.

Combined pharmacokinetic and urodynamic study of the effects of oral administration of phenylpropanolamine in female Beagle dogs.

This study investigated the differences in pharmacokinetic, urodynamic and haemodynamic parameters after administration of two dosages of phenylpropanolamine (PPA) in female Beagle dogs. Blood was collected and urethral pressure profiles were performed over 24 h periods following single or three times daily (T(0),T(6h),T(12h)) administration of PPA. The maximal concentration (C(max)) was reached 2 h after PPA administration (T(max)) and the half-life (T((1/2))) was 4 h.

Fatal intoxications by acenocoumarol, phenprocoumon and warfarin: method validation in blood using the total error approach.

A simple high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method with ultraviolet (UV) detection has been developed and validated for simultaneous identification and quantification of three antivitamin K drugs (acenocoumarol, warfarin and phenprocoumon) in whole blood. The aim of this development was to propose an analytical technique adapted to the situations of forensic toxicology, i.e.

Skin protection creams in medical settings: successful or evil?

Background: Chronic exposure to mild irritants including cleansing and antiseptic products used for hand hygiene generates insults to the skin. To avoid unpleasant reactions, skin protection creams are commonly employed, but some fail to afford protection against a variety of xenobiotics. In this study, two skin protection creams were assayed comparatively looking for a protective effect if any against a liquid soap and an alcohol-based gel designed for hand hygiene in medical settings.

A fatal case of bupropion (Zyban) overdose.

A sensitive and reproducible method for the identification and the quantitative determination of bupropion (BUP) and its major metabolites, hydroxybupropion (OH-BUP) and threohydrobupropion (T-BUP), was developed in blood and urine. The three compounds were extracted with a solid-phase extraction procedure followed by LC-ESI-MS-MS separation and quantification using decadeuterated lidocaine as internal standard. BUP and its metabolites were satisfactorily identified by multiple reactions monitoring detection.

Simultaneous determination of five beta-lactam antibiotics (cefepim, ceftazidim, cefuroxim, meropenem and piperacillin) in human plasma by high-performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection.

Monitoring of plasma antibiotic drugs is useful for better clinical management in infected patients, particularly in intensive care units. A simple and sensitive high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method with ultraviolet (UV) detection has been developed and validated for simultaneous quantification of five beta-lactam antibiotics in human plasma: cefepim, ceftazidim, cefuroxim, meropenem and piperacillin. The plasma sample, after spiked with ceforanid as an internal standard (IS), was submitted to a solid-phase extraction (SPE) prior to HPLC analysis.

Mechanisms of interaction of endocrine-disrupting chemicals with glutamate-evoked secretion of gonadotropin-releasing hormone.

In previous studies, we detected a dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) derivative in the serum of children with sexual precocity after migration from developing countries. Recently, we reported that DDT stimulated pulsatile gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) secretion and sexual maturation in the female rat. The aim of this study was to delineate the mechanisms of interaction of endocrine-disrupting chemicals including DDT with GnRH secretion evoked by glutamate in vitro.