Population Pharmacokinetics of Metoclopramide in Infants, Children, and Adolescents

Clinical and Translational Science • November 2020

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Ge S, Mendley SR, Gerhart JG, Melloni C, Hornik CP, Sullivan JE, Atz A, Delmore P, Tremoulet A, Poindexter BB, Harper B, Payne E, Lin S, Erinjeri J, Cohen-Wolkowiez M, Gonzalez D
Metoclopramide is commonly used for gastroesophageal reflux. The aims of the present study were to develop a pediatric population pharmacokinetic (PopPK) model, which was applied to simulate the metoclopramide exposure following dosing used in clinical practice. The study suggests that a metoclopramide dose as previously recommended for pediatric patients results in simulated exposure generally within suggested ranges for the treatment of gastroesophageal reflux.

Simulated Assessment of Pharmacokinetically Guided Dosing for Investigational Treatments of Pediatric Patients With Coronavirus Disease 2019

JAMA Pediatrics • October 2020

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Maharaj A, Wu H, Hornik CP, Balevic SJ, Hornik CD, Smith PB, Gonzalez D, Zimmerman KO, Benjamin DK Jr., Cohen-Wolkowiez M
This study sought to define pediatric-specific dosing regimens for hydroxychloroquine and remdesivir for COVID-19 treatment. Pharmacokinetic modeling and simulation were used to extrapolate investigated adult dosages toward children (March 2020-April 2020).  Concerns were raised regarding hydroxychloroquine use for COVID-19 treatment because concentrations were less than those needed to mediate an antiviral effect.

Hospital-acquired Pneumonia and Ventilator-associated Pneumonia in Children: A Prospective Natural History and Case-Control Study

Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal • August 2020

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Ericson JE, McGuire J, Michaels MG, Schwarz A, Frenck R, Deville JG, Agarwal S, Bressler AM, Gao J, Spears T, Benjamin DK, Smith PB, Bradley, JS

We examined laboratory and clinical features that might improve pediatric hospital-acquired and ventilator-associated bacterial pneumonias (HABP/VABP) trial efficiency by identifying risk factors predisposing children to HABP/VABP and describing the epidemiology of pediatric HABP/VABP. Food and Drug Administration-defined HABP/VABP occurred in 10%-12% of pediatric patients admitted to ICUs. Risk factors vary by age group.

Dosing of Continuous Fentanyl Infusions in Obese Children: A Population Pharmacokinetic Analysis

The Journal of Clinical Pharmacology • December 2019

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Maharaj AR, Wu H, Zimmerman KO, Speicher D, Sullivan JE, Watt K, Al-Uzri A, Payne E, Erinjeri J, Lin S, Harper B, Melloni C, Hornik CP; on behalf of the Best Pharmaceuticals for Children Act-Pediatric Trials Network Steering Committee
The impact of childhood obesity on fentanyl PK is relatively unknown. We developed a population pharmacokinetic (PopPK) model using opportunistically collected samples from a cohort of predominately obese children receiving fentanyl per the standard of care. Use of an allometric relationship between weight and clearance was appropriate for describing the PK of intravenous fentanyl in our cohort. Our proposed model-derived continuous infusion strategy maximized the probability of achieving target steady-state concentrations in children of varying weights.

Population Pharmacokinetics of Milrinone in Infants, Children, and Adolescents

Journal of Clinical Pharmacology • December 2019

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Hornik CP, Yogev R, Mourani PM, Watt KM, Sullivan JE, Atz AM, Speicher D, Al-Uzri A, Adu-Darko M, Payne E, Gelber C, Lin S, Harper B, Melloni C, Cohen-Wolkowiez M, Gonzalez D

Milrinone is a type 3 phosphodiesterase inhibitor used to improve cardiac output in critically ill infants and children. Milrinone is primarily excreted unchanged in the urine, raising concerns for toxic accumulation in the setting of renal dysfunction of critical illness. We developed a population pharmacokinetic model of milrinone using nonlinear mixed-effects modeling in NONMEM to perform dose-exposure simulations in children with variable renal function. Children below 21 years of age were included.

Population Pharmacokinetics of Doxycycline in Children

Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy • September 2019

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Thompson EJ, Wu H, Melloni C, Balevic S, Sullivan JE, Laughon M, Clark KM, Kalra R, Mendley S, Payne E, Erinjeri J, Gelber C, Harper B, Cohen-Wolkoweiz M, Hornik CP

Doxycycline is a tetracycline-class antimicrobial labeled by the United States (U.S.) Food and Drug Administration for children >8 years of age for many common childhood infections. Doxycycline is not labeled for children ≤8 years of age, due to the association between tetracycline class antibiotics and tooth staining. We leveraged opportunistically-collected plasma samples after intravenous (IV) and oral doxycycline doses received per standard of care to characterize the pharmacokinetics (PK) of doxycycline in children of different ages between 0 and 18 years.

Pharmacokinetics of Ceftazidime in Children and Adolescents with Obesity

Paediatric Drugs  September 2021

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Maharaj AR, Wu H, Zimmerman KO, Muller WJ, Sullivan JE, Sherwin CMT, Autmizguine J, Rathore MH, Hornik CD, Al-Uzri A, Payne EH, Hornik CP, on behalf of the Best Pharmaceuticals for Children Act – Pediatric Trials Network Steering Committee

The aim of this study was to evaluate ceftazidime pharmacokinetics (PK) in a cohort that includes a predominate number of children and adolescents with obesity and assess the efficacy of competing dosing strategies.

Creation of a Multicenter Pediatric Inpatient Data Repository Derived from Electronic Health Records

Applied Clinical Informatics Journal March 2019

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Hornik CP, Atz AM, Bendel C, Chan F, Downes K, Grundmeier R, Fogel B, Gipson D, Laughon M, Miller M, Smith M, Livingston C, Kluchar C, Heath A, Jarrett C, McKerlie B, Patel H, Hunter C; Best Pharmaceuticals for Children Act Pediatric Trials Network

Integration of electronic health records (EHRs) data across sites and access to that data remain limited. This study developed an EHR-based pediatric inpatient repository using nine U.S. centers from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Pediatric Trials Network.

Population Pharmacokinetics and Exploratory Exposure-Response Relationships of Diazepam in Children Treated for Status Epilepticus

CPT Pharmacometrics & Systems Pharmacology • November 2018

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Ku LC, Hornik CP, Beechinor RJ, Chamberlain JM, Guptill JT, Harper B, Capparelli EV, Martz K, Anand R, Cohen-Wolkowiez M, Gonzalez D; Best Pharmaceuticals for Children Act – Pediatric Trials Network Steering Committee.

Diazepam is labeled for status epilepticus (SE) in children, but there are limited data characterizing its disposition in pediatric patients. We developed a population pharmacokinetic (PK) model of i.v. diazepam in children with SE. We evaluated relationships between PK parameters and both safety and efficacy, and simulated exposures using dosing regimens from the product label and clinical practice.

A Population-Based Pharmacokinetic Model Approach to Pantoprazole Dosing for Obese Children and Adolescents

Pediatric Drugs • October 2018

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Shakhnovich V, Brian Smith P, Guptill JT, James LP, Collier DN, Wu H, Livingston CE, Zhao J, Kearns GL, Cohen-Wolkowiez M; Best Pharmaceuticals for Children Act–Pediatric Trials Network.

Pharmacokinetic data for proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), acid-suppression drugs commonly prescribed to children, are lacking for obese children who are at greatest risk for acid-related disease. In a recent multi-center investigation, we demonstrated decreased, total body weight adjusted, apparent clearance (CL/F) of the PPI pantoprazole for obese children compared with their non-obese peers.