Annals of Pharmacotherapy

OBJECTIVE: To review the safety and efficacy of avacopan for the treatment of anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis. DATA SOURCES: A systematic review of the literature was performed using the terms avacopan OR tavneos OR CCX168 OR ANCA-associated vasculitis in PubMed and Google Scholar. Articles between January 2016 and January 2023 were considered for inclusion. Bibliographies and ClinicalTrials.gov were also searched for completion...

BACKGROUND: A consensus guideline on salicylate poisoning recommends referring patients to the emergency department if they ingested 150 mg/kg of aspirin. The dose of aspirin associated with severe poisoning in pediatric patients has not been investigated. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to associate medical outcomes with aspirin overdoses in patients 5 years old and younger. METHODS: A retrospective review of data on pediatric patients with single substance aspirin exposures reported from poison centers across the country was conducted...

BACKGROUND: Current critical care pharmacist (CCP) practices and perceptions related to neuromuscular infusion (NMBI) use for acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) maybe different with the COVID-19 pandemic and the publication of 2020 NMBI practice guidelines. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate CCP practices and perceptions regarding NMBI use for patients with moderate-severe ARDS. METHODS: We developed, tested, and electronically administered a questionnaire (7 parent-, 42 sub-questions) to 409 American College of Clinical Pharmacy (ACCP) Critical Care Practice and Research Network members in 12 geographically diverse states...

BACKGROUND: Antiretroviral adherence is essential to achieve viral suppression and limit HIV-related morbidity and mortality; however, antiretroviral adherence thresholds to achieve viral suppression in clinical practice have not been fully characterized using administrative claims data. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to assess the relationship between medication adherence and viral suppression among adult persons with HIV/AIDS (PWH) receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART) for ≥6 months...

OBJECTIVE: To compare the efficacy of antimicrobial therapies used in the management of persistent methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) bacteremia. DATA SOURCES: A literature search using the PubMed database (inception to December 2022) was conducted using the search terms " Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia," "methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia," "persistent methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia," and "refractory methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia ...

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to review the effectiveness and safety of COVID-19 vaccinations in the pediatric population. DATA SOURCES: PubMed/Medline (September 2020 to December 2022), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) websites. STUDY SELECTION AND DATA EXTRACTION: Publications regarding the safety and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccinations in children were included. DATA SYNTHESIS: Vaccines authorized for use in children include two monovalent mRNA vaccines (≥6 months old) and one monovalent protein subunit adjuvant vaccine (adolescents only)...

BACKGROUND: It is unclear whether use of a proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) increases the risk of rhabdomyolysis. OBJECTIVE: To clarify whether use of PPIs increases the risk of rhabdomyolysis. METHODS: This cross-sectional study analyzed data entered into the Medical Data Vision (MDV) database in Japan and into the U.S. Food and Drug Administration Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). The MDV data were analyzed to evaluate the association between use of PPIs and rhabdomyolysis...

OBJECTIVE: To review pharmacology, efficacy, safety, and considerations for use, of second-generation androgen receptor (AR) antagonists in treatment of nonmetastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer (M0CRPC). DATA SOURCES: Conducted search in PubMed and Google scholar (January, 1, 2002-December 31, 2022), using relevant terms. STUDY SELECTION AND DATA EXTRACTION: Relevant English-language studies, conducted in humans evaluating second-generation AR antagonists for M0CRPC, and additional articles and package inserts were considered...

BACKGROUND: Hypertriglyceridemia-associated acute pancreatitis is a disease lacking a standardized management approach. OBJECTIVE: The main objective of this study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of a continuous intravenous insulin infusion order set specifically designed for managing hypertriglyceridemia. METHODS: This study compared the safety and efficacy of a standardized (postintervention) approach to managing hypertriglyceridemia to a nonstandardized (preintervention) approach...

BACKGROUND: Acetazolamide has been used for diuretic-induced metabolic alkalosis, but the preferred dose, route, and frequency of administration remain unknown. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to characterize dosing strategies and determine the effectiveness of intravenous (IV) and oral (PO) acetazolamide for patients with heart failure (HF) with diuretic-induced metabolic alkalosis. METHODS: This was a multicenter, retrospective cohort study comparing the use of IV versus PO acetazolamide in patients with HF receiving at least 120 mg of furosemide for the treatment of metabolic alkalosis (serum bicarbonate CO2 ≥32)...

BACKGROUND: Essential to the coagulation pathway, vitamin K (phytonadione) is used to correct clotting factor deficiencies and for reversal of warfarin-induced bleeding. In practice, high-dose intravenous (IV) vitamin K is often used, despite limited evidence supporting repeated dosing. OBJECTIVE: This study sought to characterize differences in responders and nonresponders to high-dose vitamin K to guide dosing strategies. METHODS: This was a case-control study of hospitalized adults who received vitamin K 10 mg IV daily for 3 days...

BACKGROUND: Delirium is a common complication of critical illness, with a prevalence of 25% among pediatric intensive care unit (ICU) patients. Pharmacological treatment options for ICU delirium are limited to off-label use of antipsychotics, but their benefit remains uncertain. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate quetiapine effectiveness for the treatment of delirium in critically ill pediatric patients and to describe the safety profile of quetiapine...

OBJECTIVE: Results from large placebo-controlled randomized trials in patients with heart failure with mid-range ejection fraction (HFmrEF) and HF with preserved EF (HFpEF) have become available recently. This article discusses results of these clinical trials. DATA SOURCES: Peer-reviewed articles were identified from MEDLINE (1966 to December 31, 2022) using search terms dapagliflozin, empagliflozin, SGLT-2Is, HFmrEF, and HFpEF. STUDY SELECTION AND DATA EXTRACTION: Eight completed, pertinent clinical trials were included...

BACKGROUND: No previous literature has compared methadone with oxycodone for intravenous (IV) opioid weaning. OBJECTIVE: To determine if a weaning strategy using enteral methadone or oxycodone results in faster time to IV opioid discontinuation. METHODS: This was a single-center, retrospective, cohort medical record review of mechanically ventilated adults in an intensive care unit (ICU) who received a continuous IV infusion of fentanyl or hydromorphone for ≥72 hours and an enteral weaning strategy using either methadone or oxycodone from January 1, 2020, through December 31, 2021...

OBJECTIVE: Review dexmedetomidine use in critically ill patients for niche indications including sleep, delirium, alcohol withdrawal, sepsis, and immunomodulation. DATA SOURCES: Literature was sought using PubMed (February 2012-November 2022). Search terms included dexmedetomidine AND (hypnotics OR sedatives OR sleep OR delirium OR immunomodulation OR sepsis OR alcohol withdrawal). STUDY SELECTION AND DATA EXTRACTION: Relevant studies conducted in humans ≥18 years published in English were included...

OBJECTIVES: To describe the pharmacology, efficacy, safety, and potential role of vonoprazan with amoxicillin or amoxicillin and clarithromycin for the treatment of Helicobacter pylori infection in adults. DATA SOURCES: PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and ClinicalTrials.gov were searched using the terms: (vonoprazan OR voquezna) AND (" H. pylori " OR " Helicobacter pylori ") AND amoxicillin with no date limitations up to November 3, 2022. STUDY SELECTION AND DATA EXTRACTION: Studies assessing the efficacy and safety of vonoprazan with amoxicillin and/or clarithromycin were included and divided into 3 groups based on different comparisons between treatment regimens used in each group...

OBJECTIVE: This article reviews the published data encompassing the development, pharmacology, efficacy, and safety of brincidofovir, a nucleotide analogue DNA polymerase inhibitor developed for the treatment of smallpox. DATA SOURCES: A literature review was conducted in PubMed, MEDLINE, and Clinicaltrials.gov from inception up to December 2022, using terms Tembexa, brincidofovir, CMX001, smallpox treatment , and variola treatment . STUDY SELECTION AND DATA EXTRACTION: Data were limited to studies published in English language, which evaluated the efficacy and safety of brincidofovir...

BACKGROUND: Recent evidence suggests tenecteplase at an intravenous dose of 0.25 mg/kg is as safe and efficacious as intravenous alteplase standard dose and demonstrates a more favorable pharmacokinetic profile for treatment of acute ischemic stroke. OBJECTIVE: The purpose was to compare the safety and efficacy of alteplase versus tenecteplase for the treatment of acute ischemic stroke at a large community hospital health system following conversion in the preferred formulary thrombolytic...

OBJECTIVE: To review the available literature regarding the treatment effects and efficacy of benzonatate needed to better inform patients, providers, and regulators evaluating its role in modern medical therapies. DATA SOURCES: Comprehensive literature searches were conducted in PubMed, Embase (Elsevier), Cochrane Library, and Scopus for original research articles evaluating the effectiveness, tolerability, and safety profile of benzonatate from January 1956 through August 2022...

BACKGROUND: Colchicine has a narrow therapeutic index. Its toxicity can be increased due to concomitant exposure to drugs inhibiting its metabolic pathway; these are cytochrome P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) and P-glycoprotein (P-gp). OBJECTIVE: To examine clinical outcomes associated with colchicine drug interactions using the spontaneous reports of the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). METHODS: We conducted a disproportionality analysis using FAERS data from January 2004 through June 2020...