Inflammation is an evolutionary process that allows survival against acute infection or injury. Inflammation is also a pathophysiological condition shared by numerous chronic diseases. In addition, inflammation modulates important drug-metabolizing enzymes and transporters (DMETs), thus contributing to intra- and interindividual variability of drug exposure. A better knowledge of the impact of inflammation on drug metabolism and its related clinical consequences would help to personalize drug treatment. Here, we summarize the kinetics of inflammatory mediators and the underlying transcriptional and post-transcriptional mechanisms by which they contribute to the inhibition of important DMETs. We also present an updated overview of the effect of inflammation on the pharmacokinetic parameters of most of the drugs that are DMET substrates, for which therapeutic drug monitoring is recommended. Furthermore, we provide opinions on how to integrate the inflammatory status into pharmacogenetics, therapeutic drug monitoring, and population pharmacokinetic strategies to improve the personalization of drug treatment for each patient.

f Voriconazole (VRC) plasma trough concentrations (C min ) are highly variable, and this could affect treatment efficacy and safety in patients undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (AHSCT). We aimed to describe the intra-and interindividual variation of VRC C min throughout the course of VRC therapy and to identify the determinants of this variation. Clinical data, medications, and VRC C min (n ‫؍‬ 308) of 33 AHSCT patients were retrospectively collected. Cytochrome P450 (CYP450) genotypes of CYP2C19, CYP3A4, and CYP3A5 patients were retrospectively determined before allografting, and a combined genetic score was calculated for each patient. The higher the genetic score, the faster the metabolism of the patient. The VRC C min inter-and intraindividual coefficients of variation were 84% and 68%, respectively. The VRC dose (D) was correlated to VRC C min (r ‫؍‬ 0.412, P < 0.0001) only for oral administration. The administration route and the genetic score significantly affected the initial VRC C min . Considering oral therapy, patients with a genetic score of <2 had higher initial VRC C min /D than patients with a genetic score of >2 (P ‫؍‬ 0.009). Subsequent VRC C min remained influenced by the genetic score (P ‫؍‬ 0.004) but were also affected by pump proton inhibitor comedication (P < 0.0001). The high variability of VRC C min in AHSCT patients is partially explained by the route of administration, treatment with pump proton inhibitors, and the combined genetic score. This study suggests the interest in combined genetic score determination to individualize a priori the VRC dose and underlines the need for longitudinal therapeutic drug monitoring to adapt subsequent doses to maintain the VRC C min within the therapeutic range.

How pharmacogenetics modulates the inhibitory effects of inflammation on voriconazole trough concentration (Cmin) remains unknown. In 29 recipients of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation retrospectively studied, both a genetic score (which aggregated CYP2C19 and CYP3A genotypes) and inflammation significantly influenced voriconazole Cmin (n = 260). A trend toward (p = 0.03) a greater impact of inflammation in patients with the highest genetic score (corresponding to ultra-rapid metabolizers) was observed. Further researches are needed to confirm these data.

Voriconazole (VRC) overdoses are frequent and expose patients at high risk of adverse effects. This case–control study performed in hematological patients who benefited from VRC therapeutic drug monitoring from January 2012 to December 2015 aimed to identify risk factors of VRC overdose. Pharmacogenetic, biological, and demographic parameters at the time of VRC trough concentration (Cmin) were retrospectively collected from medical records. Cases (VRC overdose: defined by a VRC Cmin ≥ 4 mg/L; n = 31) were compared to controls (no VRC overdose: defined by VRC Cmin < 4 mg/L; n = 31) using nonparametric or chi‐square tests followed by multivariable analysis. VRC overdoses were significantly associated with high CRP and bilirubin levels, intravenous administration, and age in univariable analysis. In contrast, the proportion of CYP genotypes (CYP2C19, CYP3A4, or CYP3A5, considered alone or combined in a combined genetic score) were not significantly different between patients who experienced a VRC overdose and those who did not. In multivariable analysis, the class of CRP level (defined by median CRP levels of 96 mg/L) was the sole independent risk factor of VRC overdose (P < 0.01). Patients with CRP levels > 96 mg/L) had a 27‐fold (IC 95%: [6–106]) higher risk of VRC overdose than patients with CRP levels ≤ 96 mg/L. This study demonstrates that inflammatory status, assessed by CRP levels, is the main risk factor of VRC overdose in French hematological patients, whereas pharmacogenetic determinants do not appear to be involved.

Intermittent hypoxia, the main stimulus of obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA), induces inflammation, leading to early atherosclerosis. Whether the cyclooxygenase (COX) pathway contributes to intermittent hypoxia-induced atherosclerosis remains to be determined.We studied the effects of 8-weeks of intermittent hypoxia exposure on COX-pathway gene expression and atherosclerosis, and the influence of COX-1 inhibition by SC-560 on atherosclerosis progression in aortas of apolipoprotein E -/-mice. Urinary 11-dehydrothromboxane B 2 (11-dTXB 2 ) was assessed in 50 OSA subjects free of cardiovascular risk factor matched for age and body mass index with 25 controls, and 56 OSA with cardiovascular risk factor.Intermittent hypoxia significantly increased atherosclerotic lesion sizes, mRNA levels of COX-1 and thromboxane synthase (TXBS). Lesion sizes correlated to COX-1 (r50.654, p50.0003) and TXBS (r50.693, p,0.0001) mRNA levels. COX-1 inhibition reduced lesion progression in intermittent hypoxia mice only (p50.04). Urinary 11-dTXB 2 was similar in OSA subjects free of cardiovascular risk factor and controls, but was increased by 13% (p50.007) in OSA subjects with cardiovascular risk factor compared with those without.Although OSA itself was not associated with increased urinary 11-dTXB 2 concentration, the COX-1 pathway was activated in intermittent hypoxia-exposed mice and in OSA subjects presenting with cardiovascular risk factor, and may contribute to intermittent hypoxia-induced atherogenesis. COX-1 inhibition could be of clinical interest in the prevention of cardiovascular morbidity in OSA. @ERSpublications COX-1 inhibition could be of clinical interest in the prevention of cardiovascular morbidity in obstructive sleep apnoea

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Cytochrome 2C19 genotype-directed dosing of voriconazole (VRC) reduces the incidence of insufficient VRC trough concentrations (C min ) but does not account for CYP3A polymorphisms, also involved in VRC metabolism. This prospective observational study aimed to evaluate the utility of a genetic score combining CYP2C19 and CYP3A genotypes to predict insufficient initial VRC C min (<1 mg/L). Methods:The genetic score was determined in hematological patients treated with VRC. The higher the genetic score, the faster the metabolism of the patient. The impact of the genetic score was evaluated considering initial VRC C min and all VRC C min (n = 159) determined during longitudinal therapeutic drug monitoring.Results: Forty-three patients were included, of whom 41 received VRC for curative indication. Thirty-six patients had a genetic score ≥2, of whom 11 had an initial insufficient VRC C min . A genetic score ≥2 had a positive predictive value of 0.31 for having an initial insufficient VRC C min and initial VRC C min was not associated with the genetic score. The lack of association between the genetic score and VRC C min may be related to the inflammatory status of the patients (C-reactive protein [CRP] levels: median [Q1-Q3]: 43.0 [11.0-110.0] mg/L), as multivariate analysis performed on all VRC C min identified CRP as an independent determinant of the VRC C min adjusted for dose (P < .0001). Conclusion:The combined genetic score did not predict low VRC exposure in patients with inflammation, which is frequent in patients with invasive fungal infections. Strategies for the individualization of VRC dose should integrate the inflammatory status of patients in addition to pharmacogenetic variants.

The use of complementary and alternative medicine at least once during or after cancer treatment has increased over the past years from an estimated 25% in the 1970s and 1980s to more than 32% in the 1990s and to 49% after 2000. The risk of herb‐drug interaction is therefore increasingly recognized as a public health problem. To the best of our knowledge, we report here the first case of interaction between ginger and anticancer drug, with serious consequences for the patient. There is an urgent need regarding complementary and alternative medicine: Both clinicians and patients should be aware of the potential interactions between herbs and prescribed drugs.