TB Research

Pharmacokinetic Study of Patients Who Undergo Cycloserine, a 2nd-line Antituberculosis Medicament

Ming-Chih Yu, M.D.

Abstract

In all treatments of tuberculosis, the second-line drugs are usually less effective but have more drug toxicity than the first-line ones. For the multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) patients, who are resistant to the major first-line anti-tuberculosis drugs such as Rifampin and Isoniazid, the second-line agents, like Cycloserine in this research, are in frequent use. Taking patients' safety into consideration, therapeutic drug monitoring of Cycloserine has been listed as a routine examination during the tuberculosis treatment and established a suggested Cycloserine serum concentration of 20\~35 mcg/mL.

While this suggested drug concentration was set up, it isn't suitable to all races in the world. The investigators plan to develop the therapeutic drug monitoring protocols and a suggested treating concentration fitting for Asian (Taiwanese). In addition, through this research, the investigators can also realize that factors causing different pharmacokinetics and the clinical outcomes in different Cycloserine level.

In all treatments of tuberculosis, the second-line drugs are usually less effective but have more drug toxicity than the first-line ones. For the multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) patients, who are resistant to the major first-line anti-tuberculosis drugs such as Rifampin and Isoniazid, the second-line agents, like Cycloserine in this research, are in frequent use. Taking patients' safety into consideration, therapeutic drug monitoring of Cycloserine has been listed as a routine examination during the tuberculosis treatment and established a suggested Cycloserine serum concentration of 20\~35 mcg/mL.

While this suggested drug concentration was set up, it isn't suitable to all races in the world. The investigators plan to develop the therapeutic drug monitoring protocols and a suggested treating concentration fitting for Asian (Taiwanese). In addition, through this research, the investigators can also realize that factors causing different pharmacokinetics and the clinical outcomes in different Cycloserine level.

MeSH terms

  • Tuberculosis, Pulmonary
  • Tuberculosis