Pharmacokinetics of anti-tuberculous drugs

The pharmacokinetic properties of isoniazid and rifampicin were evaluated when used in children with pulmonary tuberculosis in India. Modelling and simulation showed inadequate rifampicin drug levels in children with the currently available dosing regimens, and the developed population pharmacokinetic model was used to suggest an optimised dosing regimen in these children (Br J Clin Pharmacol. 2019 Mar; 85(3): 644–654). Pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic analysis of a large study in Vietnamese children with tuberculosis meningitis found that exposure to the drug isoniazid was associated with survival (Clin Pharmacol Ther. 2020 Apr; 107(4): 1023–1033). A third pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic analysis of another study in Vietnamese children with tuberculosis meningitis showed that the dose of rifampicin might need to be increase. This study also showed that rifampicin exposure in surviving children was associated with treatment outcome. This work has been submitted.