Impact of Acid Suppressants on the Development of Infection and Possible Preventive Effects of Probiotic Formulations.

Background: The comparative effectiveness and potential impact of individual proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) on the development of infection (CDI) remain unclear. Additionally, there is insufficient evidence to support the use of probiotics for CDI prevention outside clinical trials. This study aimed to identify the PPIs that are most associated with CDI development and to determine whether probiotic co-administration can reduce this risk.

Epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitor-related skin toxicities: a review of management and possible preventive and therapeutic approaches for Asian patients by the Japanese Pharmacist-led Oncodermatology Study Team.

Epidermal growth factor receptor antibodies and tyrosine kinase inhibitors cause various skin toxicities. Acneiform rash, paronychia, and pruritus are the major side effects, and their incidence is high, especially in Asian patients. These skin disorders greatly reduce the patients' quality of life and can affect treatment intensity.

Study on the Frequency of Overlooked Risks Associated with Drug Code-Based Allergy Checks in Japan.

Comprehensive drug allergy confirmation is one of the key functions of electronic medical record system. However, current allergy check functions mainly rely on drug classification codes and often fail to account for different dosage forms with separate codes. To evaluate the risks of missed allergy checks, we created a drug ingredient list from the NHI Drug Price Standard and assigned 5-digit group codes based on shared compounds or metabolites, considering drug metabolism.

Assessment of the risk of developing cefepime-induced abnormal liver enzyme levels using the albumin-bilirubin score and fibrosis-4 index: a single-centre retrospective case-control study.

Background: Although the albumin-bilirubin (ALBI) score and fibrosis-4 (FIB-4) index may help predict cefepime-induced liver enzyme abnormalities, the relationship between these measures and liver enzyme abnormalities has not been elucidated.

Objectives: This study investigated the relevance and predictive accuracy of the ALBI score and FIB-4 index for cefepime-induced liver enzyme abnormalities.

Patients And Methods: This single-centre retrospective case-control study included 473 patients.

Influence of renal function and daptomycin dose on clinical effectiveness and adverse events in Japanese pediatric patients: A multicenter retrospective observational study.

Background: Data on the clinical effectiveness and adverse events of daptomycin in pediatric patients, considering dosage and renal function, are limited.

Aim: In this study, we aimed to investigate the clinical effectiveness of daptomycin, incidence of related adverse events, and associations between clinical outcomes and risk factors, including dosage and renal function, in pediatric patients.

Methods: Medical records of pediatric patients treated with daptomycin between September 2011 and December 2022, were retrospectively reviewed.

Effect of a workshop for questionnaire-based surveys on research awareness and motivation among community and hospital pharmacists in Mie Prefecture.

Background: Although questionnaire-based surveys enable pharmacists to systematically assess patient needs, healthcare practices, and medication outcomes, it is essential to minimize various biases to ensure that the data obtained from surveys are both reliable and valid. The present study aimed to elucidate whether a workshop on questionnaire-based surveys could enhance research awareness and motivation among community and hospital pharmacists in Mie prefecture.

Methods: The workshop comprised three parts: lecture (15 min), group work (90 min), and presentation (60 min).

Effect of Clostridium butyricum and antibiotics using simultaneous simple suspension in mice with Clostridioides difficile infection.

Background: A simple suspension method, wherein tablets and capsules are disintegrated in warm water (55 °C), is increasingly used in clinical settings. Previously, we demonstrated that probiotic strains were reduced or below limit of detection in a simultaneous simple suspension of probiotic preparations and metronidazole or fidaxomicin. This study investigated its effectiveness in mice with C.

The Albumin-Bilirubin-Fibrosis-4 Score for Predicting Teicoplanin-Induced Abnormal Liver Enzyme Levels in Patients Undergoing Therapeutic Drug Monitoring: A Multicentral Retrospective Cohort Study.

Background: Although therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) maintains serum teicoplanin (TEIC) concentration between 15 and 30 μg/mL, TEIC-induced liver injury may still occur. The albumin-bilirubin (ALBI)-fibrosis-4 (FIB-4) score may be useful for predicting TEIC-induced liver injury in patients undergoing TDM.

Objective: This pilot study aimed to investigate whether the ALBI-FIB4 score can predict TEIC-induced abnormal liver enzyme levels in patients undergoing TDM.

Changes in the blood cyclosporine level after switching from voriconazole to isavuconazole in a patient with aplastic anemia: insights from physiologically based pharmacokinetic model simulation and the Adverse Event Reporting System database study.

Introduction: Isavuconazole, a broad-spectrum triazole approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2015, moderately inhibits cytochrome P450 3A4. Although antifungal agents are often used concomitantly with cyclosporine, the effect of switching from voriconazole to isavuconazole on the blood cyclosporine level remains unclear.

Case: A 63-year-old Japanese male was administered oral cyclosporine (10:00 and 21:00) for severe aplastic anemia.

Prediction of hyperkalemia occurrence in patients using co-trimoxazole: Clinical adjustment of a Markov model.

Objective: Predicting the occurrence of hyperkalemia in patients undergoing co-trimoxazole treatment for Pneumocystis pneumonia is critical. However, other factors besides drug exposure affect serum potassium levels, and various interventions are often used to treat hyperkalemia in clinical practice. Therefore, we aimed to develop a Markov model to predict the risk of hyperkalemia under various intervention conditions.

A retrospective study comparing the effectiveness of carbapenems and tazobactam/piperacillin as an empirical treatment for patients infected with Bacteroides fragilis.

Background: Bacteroides fragilis is one of the most frequently isolated pathogenic anaerobic bacteria. Infections caused by B. fragilis are commonly treated with carbapenems or tazobactam/piperacillin.

Impact of a Collaborative Pharmacist-Cardiovascular Surgeon Protocol for High Risk of Postoperative Delirium on Benzodiazepine Prescription Trends in Hospitalized Patients.

Benzodiazepine (BZD) therapy has been associated with several side effects in hospitalized patients. We developed a protocol-based pharmacotherapy management (PBPM) to recommend BZD discontinuation for patients at high risk for postoperative delirium (PD) following cardiovascular surgery. This study investigated whether implementing PBPM affects BZD prescription trends among cardiovascular surgeons for PD non-high-risk patients.

Potential of Albumin-Bilirubin Score for Estimating the Voriconazole-Induced Hepatotoxicity Undergoing Therapeutic Drug Monitoring: A Single-Center Retrospective Cohort Study.

Purpose: Despite implementation of therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) for voriconazole, the incidence of hepatotoxicity remains high. The albumin-bilirubin (ALBI) score may be useful for estimating voriconazole-induced hepatotoxicity. This pilot study aimed to investigate whether the ALBI score could estimate voriconazole-induced hepatotoxicity during TDM implementation.

Association Between Coagulation Fibrinolysis Markers and Severity in Patients with COVID-19.

Introduction: Thrombosis is a major complication of COVID-19. D-dimer (DD) is an important coagulation fibrinolysis marker in COVID-19 and has been extensively studied. However, very little is known about the role of other fibrinolysis markers, plasmin-plasmin inhibitor complex (PIC), and fibrin monomer complex (FMC) in COVID-19.

A qualitative study on the current status and problems of pharmacists in home healthcare from the viewpoint of care managers in medically underpopulated areas in Japan.

Background: Unlike in urban areas, community healthcare in medically underpopulated areas in Japan is constantly challenged because of the uncertainty in effectively using the limited resources. However, no study has focused on human resources or identified the actual state of pharmacists' support in the community. Therefore, our study identified the actual status and problems of pharmacists involved in home medical care in medically underpopulated areas and discussed the roles required of pharmacists and specific methods of support.

A decision tree approach for investigating the background of research activity of community and hospital pharmacists in Mie Prefecture: a retrospective questionnaire-based survey.

Background: The support system for research activities has not been sufficiently established in clinical settings. A survey should be conducted to identify the causes of low research activity among pharmacists and the characteristics of pharmacists who could serve as mentors to build a support system at the regional level.

Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional survey was conducted with 156 pharmacists, including hospital and community pharmacists, who attended a webinar on research ethics held once a year in Mie Prefecture.

Pharmacokinetic Model of Drug Interaction of Tacrolimus with Combined Administration of CYP3A4 Inhibitors Voriconazole and Clarithromycin After Bone Marrow Transplantation.

Background And Objectives: A pharmacokinetic model has been developed to quantify the drug-drug interactions of tacrolimus with concentration-dependent inhibition of cytochrome P450 (CYP) 3A4 from voriconazole and clarithromycin based on the CYP3A5 and CYP2C19 genotypes.

Methods: This retrospective study recruited unrelated bone marrow transplant recipients receiving oral tacrolimus concomitantly with voriconazole and clarithromycin. The published population pharmacokinetic model that implemented genotypes of CYP3A5 (tacrolimus) and CYP2C19 (voriconazole) was integrated.

An investigation of broad-spectrum antibiotic-induced liver injury based on the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System and retrospective observational study.

Tazobactam/piperacillin and meropenem are commonly used as an empiric treatment in patients with severe bacterial infections. However, few studies have investigated the cause of tazobactam/piperacillin- or meropenem-induced liver injury in them. Our objective was to evaluate the association between tazobactam/piperacillin or meropenem and liver injury in the intensive care unit patients.

Hyperkalemic effect of drug-drug interaction between esaxerenone and trimethoprim in patients with hypertension: a pilot study.

Background: We examined whether the pharmacodynamic drug-drug interaction between esaxerenone and trimethoprim enhances the hyperkalemic effect.

Methods: A retrospective observational study was conducted to identify patients >18 years undertaking esaxerenone alone or esaxerenone plus trimethoprim at Mie University Hospital from May 2019 to December 2022. We performed propensity score-matching (1:1) to compare between-group differences in the maximum change in serum potassium levels (ΔK) using the Mann-Whitney U test.

A multicentral prospective cohort trial of a pharmacist-led nutritional intervention on serum potassium levels in outpatients with chronic kidney disease: The MieYaku-Chronic Kidney Disease project.

Although dietary potassium restriction is an acceptable approach to hyperkalemia prevention, it may be insufficient for outpatients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Most outpatients with CKD use community pharmacies owing to the free access scheme in Japan. The MieYaku-CKD project included a community pharmacist-led nutritional intervention for dietary potassium restriction, with the goal of determining its efficacy for patients' awareness of potassium restriction and serum potassium levels in outpatients with CKD.