Fluconazole dosing predictions in critically-ill patients receiving prolonged intermittent renal replacement therapy: a Monte Carlo simulation approach

Clin Nephrol. 2016 Jul;86(7):43-50. doi: 10.5414/CN108824.

Abstract

Fluconazole is a renally-eliminated antifungal commonly used to treat Candida species infections. In critically-ill patients receiving prolonged intermittent renal replacement therapy (PIRRT), limited pharmacokinetic (PK) data are available to guide fluconazole dosing. We used previously-published fluconazole clearance data and PK data of critically-ill patients with acute kidney injury to develop a PK model with the goal of determining a therapeutic dosing regimen for critically-ill patients receiving PIRRT. Monte Carlo simulations were performed to create a virtual cohort of patients receiving different fluconazole dosing regimens. Plasma drug concentration-time profiles were evaluated on the probability of attaining a mean 24-hour area under the drug concentration-time curve to minimum inhibitory concentration ratio (AUC24h : MIC) of 100 during the initial 48 hours of antifungal therapy. At the susceptibility breakpoint of Candida albicans (2 mg/L), 93 - 96% of simulated subjects receiving PIRRT attained the pharmacodynamic target with a fluconazole 800-mg loading dose plus 400 mg twice daily (q12h or pre and post PIRRT) regimen. Monte Carlo simulations of a PK model of PIRRT provided a basis for the development of an informed fluconazole dosing recommendation when PK data was limited. This finding should be validated in the clinical setting.

MeSH terms

  • Acute Kidney Injury / therapy
  • Antifungal Agents / administration & dosage*
  • Antifungal Agents / blood
  • Antifungal Agents / pharmacokinetics*
  • Area Under Curve
  • Candidiasis / drug therapy
  • Computer Simulation
  • Critical Illness
  • Fluconazole / administration & dosage*
  • Fluconazole / blood
  • Fluconazole / pharmacokinetics*
  • Humans
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests
  • Monte Carlo Method*
  • Renal Replacement Therapy*
  • Time Factors

Substances

  • Antifungal Agents
  • Fluconazole