Effects of nutritional status on acetaminophen measurement and exposure

Rapid identification of potential nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug overdose-induced liver toxicity and prediction of follow-up exposure: Integrating bioanalytical and population pharmacokinetic assay

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are among the most frequently used drugs that can cause liver toxicity. The aim of this study was to integrate bioanalytical and population pharmacokinetic (PopPK) assay to rapidly screen and quantify the concentrations of NSAIDs in plasma and monitor clinical safety. A liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method was developed for the simultaneous quantification of acetaminophen (APAP), flurbiprofen (FLB), aspirin (ASP), and ibuprofen (IBP), four commonly used NSAIDs. The PopPK model of the signature toxicant was analyzed based on the published literature. The LC-MS/MS method was successfully validated and applied to determine NSAID concentrations in patient plasma samples. APAP, ASP, and IBP data were best fitted using a one-compartment model, and FLB data were best fitted using a two-compartment model. Bootstrapping and visual predictive checks suggested that a robust and reliable pharmacokinetic model was developed. A fast, simple, and sensitive LC-MS/MS method was developed and validated for determining APAP, FLB, ASP, and IBP in human plasma. Combined with the PopPK model, this method was applied to rapidly analyze the concentrations of NSAIDs in clinical samples from patients presenting to the emergency department with acute liver dysfunction and monitored NSAIDs clinical safety.

The Three W's of Acetaminophen In Children: Who, Why, and Which Administration Mode

Acetaminophen is one of the oldest medications commonly administered in children. Its efficacy in treating fever and pain is well accepted among clinicians. However, the available evidence supporting the use of acetaminophen's different modes of administration remains relatively scarce and poorly known. This short report summarizes the available evidence and provides a framework to guide clinicians regarding a rational use of acetaminophen in children.

Protein Malnutrition in BALB/c Mice: An Experimental Model Resembling Clinical Scenario

Objectives The study aims to develop a stable malnourished experimental mice model resembling the human population for future experimental studies.

Materials and Methodology At weaning, female BALB/c mice are separated into two groups: one receiving a low protein diet (LPD, 10% protein) and the other receiving a commercially available normal pellet diet (ND, 18% protein). Model development and stability were assessed using body mass index (BMI), biochemical parameters such as glucose, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, total protein, albumin, total cholesterol, calcium, and phosphorus using serum samples at the 12th and 15th weeks of the study, antioxidant assay, and liver histopathology observation. Antioxidant assay and histopathology observation using liver tissue sample excised after euthanasia.

Results LPD mice are categorized under grade I malnutrition based on the body weight change with respect to ND as per the principles of Gomez's classification of malnutrition. A significant long-term decrease in BMI of the malnourished group indicates the development of the stable malnourished model. Elevated serum enzyme levels in the 15th week and decreased antioxidant activity suggest liver injury and oxidative stress at the cellular level in the malnourished group. Histopathology alterations in the liver tissue further strengthen these observations reported in the human population of malnutrition.

Conclusion This study confirms the development of a stable malnourished experimental model using a LPD (10% protein). This model may be used to study the role of malnutrition in the pathophysiology of any disease, drug action, and its kinetics in the future.

Short-Term High-Fat Diet Alters Acetaminophen Metabolism in Healthy Individuals

BACKGROUND

Acetaminophen is metabolized through a nontoxic sulfation and glucuronidation pathway and toxic oxidation pathway (via CYP2E1 and CYP1A2). A short-term high-fat diet induces alterations in the steatotic liver and may alter hepatic drug enzyme activity. In the case of acetaminophen, these alterations may result in an increased risk of hepatotoxicity. Therefore, this study was conducted to assess the effect of a 3-day hypercaloric high-fat diet on the plasma levels of acetaminophen metabolites.

METHODS

Nine healthy subjects participated in this randomized, crossover intervention study. The subjects consumed a regular diet or a regular diet supplemented with 500 mL of cream (1700 kcal) for 3 days and then fasted overnight. After ingesting 1000-mg acetaminophen, the plasma concentration of acetaminophen (APAP) and its metabolites [acetaminophen glucuronide, acetaminophen sulfate, 3-cysteinyl-acetaminophen, and 3-(N-acetyl-L-cystein-S-yl)-acetaminophen, and 3-methoxy-acetaminophen] were measured.

RESULTS

The 3-day high-fat diet increased the extrapolated area under the concentration-time curve from 0 to infinity (area under the curve 0-inf ) of APAP-Cys by approximately 20% ( P = 0.02) and that from 0 to 8 hours (area under the curve 0-8 ) of APAP-Cys-NAC by approximately 39% ( P = 0.01). The 3-day high-fat diet did not alter the pharmacokinetic parameters of the parent compound acetaminophen and other metabolites.

CONCLUSIONS

A short-term, hypercaloric, high-fat diet increases the plasma levels of the APAP metabolites formed by the oxidation pathway, which may increase the risk of hepatotoxicity.

Interactions between selected over-the-counter drugs and food: clinical relevance and prevention

The use of medicines is associated with both therapeutic and adverse effects and interactions. In particular, interactions between drugs and food are common, and can either enhance the action of drugs or diminish their effect. Health professionals have a responsibility to screen for and educate patients about food-drug interactions, as well as to assist in decreasing their occurrence. The aim of this study was to identify any interactions present between food and selected over-the-counter (OTC) drugs. Sixty-five publications out of a potential 1112 found in the search were included in the study and among them 28 concerned painkillers, 6 - antihistamines, 4 - nasal decongestants, 10 were for proton pump inhibitors and for iron and 8 for sildenafil. Interactions between food and OTC drugs do exist. These drugs should not be taken regardless of the meal. Providing relevant information to the patient will increase drug safety and efficacy.

Effect of nutritional status on acetaminophen pharmacokinetic profile

Short-term fasting increases acetaminophen exposure in healthy subjects, whereas no effect was observed after a high-fat diet. These findings suggest the necessity of considering nutritional status when assessing the risk of acetaminophen-induced toxicity. Further role of nutrition status on pharmacokinetic profile of acetaminophen (APAP) at toxic doses are not available. Our study aims to compare the effects of nutrition status on kinetic profile of APAP in 3 different dietary conditions like - Normal diet (ND), Low protein diet (LPD) and High fat diet (HFD) groups. To investigate the pharmacokinetic profile of APAP at toxic dose, 3 groups of animals were separated after weaning and for the next 15 weeks they were fed with their respective diets (ND, LPD and HFD). Animals were dosed with APAP (300 mg/kg p.o) and blood sampling was done at different time intervals. Plasma samples were analyzed using HPLC method. Data analysis was done by Non-compartment analysis using Phoenix WinNonlin 8.3 software. LPD group show higher values of C _max, T _max, T _1/2, and AUC _0-4, AUC _0-x values compared to ND and HFD groups. Our study compared APAP pharmacokinetic profile at toxic dose in three different diet regimes.

Impact of malnourishment on the pharmacokinetics of acetaminophen and susceptibility to acetaminophen hepatotoxicity

BACKGROUND

Acetaminophen hepatotoxicity is thought to be primarily caused by formation of the specific reactive metabolite N-acetyl-para-benzo-quinone imine (NAPQI). Malnourished individuals are at increased risk of acetaminophen-related hepatotoxicity. We report a case of low acetaminophen clearance in a severely underweight young woman, and elaborate on the possible effects of malnutrition on the total clearance of acetaminophen as well as on the separate contributions of the different metabolic pathways.

CASE REPORT

An 18-year-old Caucasian woman weighing 43 kg with a history of eating disorder-related hospital admissions presented at the emergency department after having ingested 33 tablets of acetaminophen 500 mg two hours earlier. She then received intravenous N-acetylcysteine for 33 h. Nine hours after ingestion, the acetaminophen elimination half-life (t½) was estimated to be >100 h.

DISCUSSION

While decreased total acetaminophen clearance (twofold) due to malnutrition has been reported in literature, the extremely low clearance in this specific patient cannot be explained. Malnourished individuals generally have reduced antioxidant reserves, coinciding with a shift in metabolic routes toward oxidative metabolism. This may result in increased formation of NAPQI and reduced neutralizing capacity, thereby increasing the risk of acetaminophen-induced hepatotoxicity. Evidence for this observation can be found in animal and to a lesser extent in human studies.

An artificial intelligence algorithm for analyzing acetaminophen-associated toxic hepatitis

INTRODUCTION

Very little artificial intelligence (AI) work has been performed to investigate acetaminophen-associated hepatotoxicity. The objective of this study was to develop an AI algorithm for analyzing weighted features for toxic hepatitis after acetaminophen poisoning.

METHODS

The medical records of 187 patients with acetaminophen poisoning treated at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital were reviewed. Patients were sorted into two groups according to their status of toxic hepatitis. A total of 40 clinical and laboratory features recorded on the first day of admission were selected for algorithm development. The random forest classifier (RFC) and logistic regression (LR) were used for artificial intelligence algorithm development.

RESULTS

The RFC-based AI model achieved the following results: accuracy = 92.5 ± 2.6%; sensitivity = 100%; specificity = 60%; precision = 92.3 ± 3.4%; and F1 = 96.0 ± 1.8%. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) was approximately 0.98. The LR-based AI model achieved the following results: accuracy = 92.00 ± 2.9%; sensitivity = 100%; specificity = 20%; precision = 92.8 ± 3.4%; recall = 98.8 ± 3.4%; and F1 = 95.6 ± 1.5%. The AUROC was approximately 0.68. The weighted features were calculated, and the 10 most important weighted features for toxic hepatitis were aspartate aminotransferase (ALT), prothrombin time, alanine aminotransferase (AST), time to hospital, platelet count, lymphocyte count, albumin, total bilirubin, body temperature and acetaminophen level.

CONCLUSION

The top five weighted features for acetaminophen-associated toxic hepatitis were ALT, prothrombin time, AST, time to hospital and platelet count.