title: Factors influencing caspofungin plasma concentrations in patients of a surgical intensive care unit.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Co-morbidity, medical and surgical interventions often cause alterations to drug plasma concentrations and pharmacokinetic parameters in critically ill patients. In the present study, we investigated parameters influencing plasma caspofungin concentrations in patients of a surgical intensive care unit (SICU).
  
  
  METHODS
  In a monocentre open study, caspofungin trough concentrations (C(24)) were determined for a group of SICU patients. A linear-mixed model was then used to assess factors influencing caspofungin plasma concentrations.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 40 SICU patients were enrolled. Age and body weight ranged from 22 to 76 years and 47 to 108 kg, respectively. All participants received a caspofungin loading dose of 70 mg and a maintenance dose of 50 mg/day. The median duration of therapy was 10 days. Caspofungin C(24) in SICU patients varied more than those determined for healthy subjects reported in previous studies (0.52-4.08 microg/mL versus 1.12-1.78 microg/mL). According to our model, caspofungin C(24) were predicted to be significantly higher in patients with body weight <75 kg (P=0.019) and patients with albumin concentration >23.6 g/L (P=0.030).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results show that body weight and albumin concentration influence caspofungin C(24) in SICU patients and should therefore be considered prognostic factors.
authors.affiliation: Pharmacy Department, University Hospital of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 670, D-69120 Heidelberg, Germany. hang.nguyen@med.uni-geidelberg.de
authors.forename: T H
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Nguyen
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hoppe-Tichy
authors.forename: H K
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Geiss
authors.forename: A C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Rastall
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Swoboda
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Schmidt
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Weigand
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood / Q000493:pharmacokinetics* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001228:Aspergillosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology; D001835:Body Weight; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000187:drug effects; D041221:Candida glabrata / Q000187:drug effects; D002177:Candidiasis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology; D000077336:Caspofungin; D016638:Critical Illness / Q000628:therapy; D054714:Echinocandins; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D055666:Lipopeptides; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015233:Models, Statistical; D010456:Peptides, Cyclic / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood / Q000493:pharmacokinetics* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011379:Prognosis; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000032:analysis; D013514:Surgical Procedures, Operative
chemical_list: D000935:Antifungal Agents; D054714:Echinocandins; D055666:Lipopeptides; D010456:Peptides, Cyclic; D012709:Serum Albumin; D000077336:Caspofungin